Kyoto Summer
by inuyasha-n-kagome-rox142
Summary: When Kagome's millionaire father sends her back to Japan to learn etiquette under the care of an old friend Inutaisho and his two son, the last thing Sesshoumaru needs is an uncooperative brat in his care. But trust Kagome to not take things lying down...
1. Welcome to Kyoto

**Kyoto Summer**

_Starring Kagome Higurashi as our fair heroine, the lady protagonist, whose beauty and charm outshines and dulls the great goddess Aphrodite herself._

_Starring Sesshoumaru Taishou as our hero, the undeniably attractive male protagonist – sophisticated yet cold, intelligent yet arrogant._

_Starring Inuyasha Taishou, our hero's brother, also undeniably attractive, but with the terrible luck of always losing out to the aforementioned brother._

_Starring Sugimi Taishou, addressed as Inutaisho, a handsome man in his own right, successful businessman and old friend of Akihiro Higurashi._

_Starring Akihiro Higurashi, respected by many, as the wealthy anxious father of our heroine._

_Starring Miroku Yoroido and his wandering hand; as the heroine's sole male confidante he takes it upon himself to find out about her latest love intrigues._

_Starring Sango Asano, confidante and childhood friend of our heroine Kagome; her loyalty to her friend is only belittled by her dislike of the pervert Miroku._

_Starring Kagura Tokugawa, seductive and elegant – as the cousin of our hero Sesshoumaru, she plays the role of his confidante and accountant._

_Starring Kikyou Uchida, reasonably pretty; her love for money and more money lands her the role of 'screwed-up jealous bitch'._

_Lastly, starring Jaken Sato, belittled servant of the Taishou family – his loyalty to Sesshoumaru knows no bounds. Neither does his dislike of Inuyasha._

**Chapter 1: Welcome to Kyoto **

_In which our heroine meets her hosts_

"That was ridiculous." Kagome watched the night scene fly by as their car sped on.

"No, it wasn't."

"Daddy, you _promised_ to take me out for a drink at the country club!"

Akihiro Higurashi sighed at his beautiful, but strong-willed daughter. In all his forty-two years, eighteen of which had been spent with his little Kagome, no one else had tested his patience as much as his daughter had. And no one had brought him as much joy.

Tonight was her birthday, and she was obviously not a happy girl. "I'm turning eighteen, and instead of receiving my first ever alcoholic drink, you take me to a _tea ceremony_?"

"What nonsense; you've been drinking since the age of five!" pointed out her father.

Kagome huffed. "That was an accident. I thought the wine was grape juice."

Unruffled, her father put on his usual lecturing voice. "Kagome, you have to -"

"_Learn to appreciate the fine arts_. Yes, you've told me. I drink green tea all the time! I just don't like sitting for two hours on my knees while some ugly woman whisks my tea into a soap mixture."

Akihiro Higurashi watched her horrified look with an amused expression. "_Matcha_, Kagome, it's _matcha_. Not a soap mixture."

"Whatever. And the restaurant!" Kagome sighed. "I told you the fish and chips place would be fine. But you booked a table at the Ritz!"

"Honey, you deserve no less than that."

There her dad went again. He couldn't understand her love to be _her_. She didn't want designer clothes, diamonds or dinners at the Ritz or Hilton, she wanted costume jewellery and fish and chips. And she certainly didn't want anything to do with traditional Japan.

Akihiro took pity on his daughter. "Ok, ok, if it makes you happy I'll play poker with you when we get home, ok?" he said.

Her face lit up. "Would you?"

"Anything for the princess."

She grinned and buried her head in her father's shirt. "I love you daddy, you know that?"

"That I know… that I know…"

* * *

Six poker games later, when Akihiro Higurashi was a few hundred dollars poorer, Kagome finally disappeared into her room for the night.

An idea had been playing on his mind for some time, and now, alone in his study, he decided to put that idea into action.

Reaching for the phone, Akihiro dialled a number.

A tired voice answered on the fourth ring.

"Moshi moshi."

He switched fluently into Japanese. "I would like to speak with Inutaisho, please."

"The master isn't awake yet." Right. Damn. Akihiro had forgotten about the time difference – it was barely dawn in Japan.

"Can I take a message?" the person asked.

Akihiro didn't particularly trust servants with messages. "Who am I speaking to?"

"Jaken."

"Ah, Jaken. Wake your master up for me."

Jaken sounded affronted. "I'm afraid that won't be possible, it's -"

"Tell him it's an old friend," Akihiro said authoritatively.

"Sir, I -"

A sleepy voice came on over the other side. "Who the hell is this?"

Of course, when you were bloody rich, you didn't care about who you offended over the phone. Akihiro bit down a chuckle. "Sugimi-san, I need a favour."

Miles away, in a silk-covered king-sized bed, Inutaisho sat up straight. "Akihiro?"

"You guessed right."

He hadn't heard from his old friend Akihiro Higurashi in years. Once they had been school mates, and later business partners, but had gone their separate ways when Akihiro moved to Japan. "What favour do you require? You know I would refuse you nothing if it were in my power."

"That I understand, and would do the same," laughed Akihiro.

This was getting more intriguing by the moment. "Well, the Akihiro Higurashi I know wouldn't wake people up in the middle of the night for no good reason. Please, speak your mind."

"Very well… if you recall, Sugimi, before I left Japan for America I had a daughter."

"How could I forget? Kagome, right? Always smiling, never sad? I used to bounce her on my knee while waiting for you to finish your phone calls. She must be all grown-up now." Inutaisho smiled at the memory. He had always wanted a daughter – though he felt equally blessed with two sons.

"Well, this thing is about Kagome…"

* * *

Her father thundered into her lovely dark room.

"Rise and shine, get up, pack up, we're LEAVING!"

"Wha – _WHERE_?" Kagome squinted as sunlight assaulted her sleepy eyes.

"I'm taking you to Japan," announced her father proudly.

"Wha – _WHY_?"

"To teach you how to act like a proper young lady of class." Akihiro looked like he was highly pleased with himself. "And to teach you about the tradition. You must not forget your roots, dear."

"I already act like a proper girl!" grumbled Kagome, shuffling out of bed.

"The way you gad about in denim and T-shirts daily? Actually, don't pack up – you need a new wardrobe."

"Out, out," Kagome said, pushing him out the door petulantly. Sighing, she closed the door behind him and started pulling off her night clothes.

Her father's surprise trips were no longer a surprise to Kagome, though this one was rather out of the blue. He had taken her around the world, but she had yet to return to Japan.

Stepping into the shower, she decided to give up trying to make sense of her father.

* * *

A couple thousand miles away, another father was abruptly waking his children.

"Get up, we have a day ahead of us!" Sugimi said cheerfully.

"What…" mumbled a lump on the over-sized bed.

"Inuyasha," said his father sternly. "I have a job for you and your brother."

"Does it involve hot naked women and alcohol?" groaned Inuyasha.

"Well, not really -"

"Then no thanks."

Sugimi sighed secretively. "It does involve a hot woman -"

Inuyasha rolled out of bed immediately. "Ok, ok, what do you want me to do?"

His father rolled his eyes, grinning inwardly. _Boys will be boys - they just need a little… encouragement_. "First off, where's your brother?"

His son blinked. "How the hell should I know?"

"Nevermind… I'll call him…" Inuyasha had never seen his father look so excited. "Let me explain this all. You were a baby then, so I don't think you know Akihiro Higurashi…"

* * *

Kagome still couldn't believe two hours ago she had been sleeping comfortably in her room, and now she was on a plane to Japan. For what purpose, her father was still being vague about.

"Remember now, use Japanese…"

"_Yes_, dad…"

"There you go again. No English!" Mr. Higurashi said, looking at his daughter exasperatedly.

"Got it," Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Be extremely polite; it won't hurt. _Thank _your hosts for everything. Sugimi is an old friend of mine and he has gone the extra mile taking you in for the summer."

"Yeah… huh… wait. Did you say summer? Two and a half months?" shrieked Kagome.

People were starting to look at them. Few people shrieked in the first class cabin.

"You're leaving me in a foreign country for two and a half months…" moaned Kagome, putting on her most piteous face.

Akihiro grinned. "Actually, Sugimi has two astonishingly bright and good-looking sons… you won't want to come back by the time two months is over, I promise you."

* * *

His phone was ringing, most annoyingly too.

What was more, Sesshoumaru couldn't pick it up, because two women on both sides of him were blocking his path to the phone.

"Neh… Sesshoumaru…" whined the one on his right, stretching groggily.

Two naked women. Oh well. At least it wasn't three. Or four. Or five. Six would break his record, though.

Getting the women off his bed and out of the apartment was easy enough. It was only when the phone started ringing _again_ Sesshoumaru could envision his father nearly foaming at the mouth in rage. After all, all his business partners and employees knew better than to call him more than twice in a row. This poor caller had been trying five times, so it probably was dad or Inuyasha.

Today, it was dad.

"I've been calling _five_ times," came a cold voice over the phone.

"You must be impatient to get to the point," Sesshoumaru said with infuriating calm.

Sometimes Sugimi wondered what had gone wrong in the upbringing of his eldest son. Sure, he was top of his class, wanted by all companies as an employee, and wanted by all women as a husband. Yet the boy – actually, man – refused to settle down with a family, refused to show expression on his fine features, and bloody refused to be respectful to his elders.

Maybe he had pushed his son too hard.

"We have a guest coming in from America," Sugimi said, calming himself down.

"And?"

"Well, you and Inuyasha will be showing her around the city."

"Tell me my father didn't call me just to tell me this."

"Tell me my son isn't such a mannerless brat," Sugimi said wryly. "Well, there are other matters to which, as you know, I find it harder to entrust your brother with."

Sesshoumaru found himself agreeing. Inuyasha was considered my many women 'lovable' and 'cute' and 'sweet' but for the life of Sesshoumaru he didn't understand why. He found Inuyasha 'irresponsible' and 'annoying'.

"First, she'll be staying at the casino hotel. We figured it would be easier. We're putting her in one of the suites next to the ones we use for personal use. Please instruct the maids to change everything to a less hotel-like, more -"

Sesshoumaru sounded bored. "Whatever. You want silk sheets and good soap?"

Sugimi rolled his eyes. "Also, there is another task… how good are your manners?"

* * *

"Use Japanese…" Akihiro reminded Kagome anxiously.

"Hai…" This bustling airport was starting to unnerve Kagome, and she was only too glad to do whatever her father instructed. Sure, she'd seen many a packed airport.

Not a jammed airport.

"There they are," Akihiro said finally, steering her in one direction.

"Where?" asked Kagome. All she could see was people, people, and more people.

"You can't miss them. Who else has hair like them?" joked her father.

"What?" She was just plain confused.

Then she saw. Three heads of unmistakeably shiny, long silvery hair.

"The silver-haired people?" Kagome quickened her step to match her father's. "But they're not looking in our direction."

"Then we'll take them by surprise," her father said.

* * *

"This is all still very confusing to me," Inuyasha muttered. "We have this daughter of your friend coming to stay with us? What for?"

"Stop asking silly questions," Sesshoumaru said, knowing very well what for after his little morning conversation with his father.

"Both of you shut up, they're coming any moment," Sugimi snapped.

"Can't miss the silver hair, can we?" asked a voice from behind.

"Higurashi-san!" grinned Sugimi, turning around.

It had been too long since they'd last met.

"Inutaisho," acknowledged his friend. Standing next to him was a passably pretty but exhausted-looking girl.

"No luggage?" asked Inuyasha, noticing their lack of bags.

"_He_ wouldn't let me pack any," Kagome said, casting her dad the evil eye.

Sugimi laughed. "You must be Kagome."

"Yeah. You must be Taishou-sama. How do you do?" Smiling, Kagome extended her hand.

"May I present my daughter, Kagome, to you?" Akihiro asked. "Please look after her well."

Sugimi was already regarding Kagome with nothing but fondness. "I used to swing you on my lap when you were a year old."

"I know," grinned Kagome.

"You remember?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nah, dad told me," she said honestly.

"She's guileless and too innocent," remarked Inuyasha under his breath to Sesshoumaru. Maybe if she knew that the person she was laughing so freely with owned half of Japan…

"Go on after her, she'll get lost," Sugimi told Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, nodding towards Kagome who was already walking ahead.

When they were alone, Sugimi turned to his friend. "I have a feeling you have something up your sleeve with the lack of suitcases?"

"Oh, please…" sighed Akihiro. "Which is why I asked for your assistance – knock sense into her. Kagome's ideal wardrobe consists of jeans, T-shirts, and more jeans. In it's current state, it's something like that. I was hoping you could remedy that." Three new, shiny platinum credit cards appeared discreetly in his palm.

Inutaisho turned serious. "I'm not taking those."

"Why ever not?" demanded Akihiro. "I'm not letting her live off you like that."

"Oh, come on. You know I've always wanted a daughter to spoil."

"Yeah, but -"

"Think of it as doing me a favour. Keep your money, I want to spoil her rotten. And teach her to behave," added Inutaisho hastily with a sheepish smirk.

Akihiro sighed. "Don't be afraid of turning her over your knee and spanking her if she's bad."

"Go home," advised Inutaisho. "I take care of an empire worth millions and two unruly sons. You tell me I can't look after a sweet girl like Kagome?"

"That's exactly what I'm telling you," nodded his friend.

* * *

She was nothing like Sesshoumaru had imagined. Surely a girl that warranted his father's personal attention would be rich, spoilt, pretentious and most likely bitchy.

Kagome was rich, but also down-to-earth, ridiculously innocent and far from bitchy.

Well, certainly not from the way she smiled at the most mediocre things like candy in the airport shops, chattered lightly with Inuyasha over meaningless things, and dragged her too-long jeans on the ground.

As the daughter of someone like Akihiro Higurashi, Sesshoumaru would have expected her to ignore the cheap goods in the shops, occasionally throw haughty comments in their direction and be dressed in the most immaculate clothing.

He couldn't really remember meeting her. According to his father, she had been one when she'd left Japan, meaning he could have been no more than four or five. Babies and young children had short memories.

But it was evident now why his father had asked him to teach her about living in society's highest circles. How to act, talk, dress… Sesshoumaru was skeptical though. Kagome looked the meek type of girl who would get fried alive by other envious girls. She was the type who would probably get tricked out of her potential inheritance by scheming suitors professing love. And she was the type who would never show up to a ball in a formal gown or kimono.

It was rare for one to have beauty and not know it. Or maybe she knew, and she just didn't care. Either way, it didn't impress Sesshoumaru Taisho one bit.

* * *

Kagome eyed the black limousine speeding away from out of the full-length glass walls in her hotel room.

Her father was gone; he was flying to Tokyo where their family was based, and then visiting some relatives in Osaka before returning to America.

Which left her here, in Kyoto, alone in the company of three men.

Not really alone. The door flew open.

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. Didn't they know how to knock? What if she was naked? Then again, that was probably why they hadn't knocked – the perverts.

"Knock?" she asked, though fixing them with a pleasant smile.

"Sorry," Inuyasha said, grinning apologetically. His older brother looked distasteful.

They would get along fine, she and Inuyasha. But with Sesshoumaru…

That icy silence, faultless manners and exceptional looks…

Why did Kagome sense that it was going to be a battle of wills between the two of them?

* * *

Liked it? Hated it? Tell me what you thought!


	2. Old Acquaintances

**Well, I hoped you all enjoyed that first chapter. I was bowled over by your reviews, everyone! Thank you SO much for all the encouragement and ideas. Enjoy this chapter!**

**Chapter 2: Old Acquaintances**

_Enter the heroine's male confidante_

"And this," Inuyasha looked out glass walls, "is the pool area."

Kagome smiled, nodding. Inutaisho's two sons were taking her on a tour of the premises, but one opulent room blended into another so much so that she had no idea where she was anymore.

"Feel free to use all of the facilities and services. If you need anyone, I'm usually around the restaurant areas. I'll show you my office later. Dad flits around the casino and the home office; sometimes he's here, sometimes he isn't."

She cast a backward glance at a stony Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha followed her gaze and rolled his eyes. Someone was feeling particularly arrogant.

"Sesshoumaru runs around a lot, too," offered Inuyasha. He paused, before grinning. "Which isn't really good, because he pops up at the most unwanted moments."

"I can imagine," Kagome said dryly.

"Anyways, remind me to give you a list of phone numbers to call in case you need one of us. I think that's the end of the tour around this place…"

"In which case I might excuse myself," Sesshoumaru said, yawning.

Inuyasha glared at his brother. "Whatever."

Sesshoumaru turned to leave, but paused and regarded Kagome calmly. "I'll come straight to the point. I don't enjoy being a teen-sitter, and I don't think you would enjoy being looked after by me anyways."

"Damned straight," muttered Kagome.

"So do us both a favour. I'm assuming you can read. Well, then." He handed her a slim package. "You take this, and after a week I review your progress. That's a whole week that I'll be out of your hair."

She looked at him suspiciously. This was how he was going to drill manners and etiquette and cultural appreciation into her? "What's the catch?"

"You follow the instructions in the packet as stated. No exceptions."

This roused her suspicion even more. "And what are those?"

He shrugged. "Take it or leave it. I can always make you stand in the corner or write lines."

Kagome looked outraged. "You wouldn't dare! My dad wouldn't allow it."

Sesshoumaru smirked in a disconcerting manner. "Actually, he did. But that's not important. Back to the question – yes or no?"

Did she have a choice? "Yes," Kagome sighed, taking the package from him.

"Good. See you in a week." And he disappeared almost as swiftly as she could blink.

* * *

"Did she take it?"

"Yes. You're a genius, Kagura – I'm free for a week." Sesshoumaru glared at the portrait of his father on the wall. The old man just _had _to make him baby an eighteen-year-old. Children that age were babies, in his opinion, and he told Kagura Tokugawa so over the phone.

"Babies? Dear, not too long ago, you were that age. Plus, you yourself said earlier she wasn't spoiled." Kagura tucked her cell phone under her ear, allowing the manicurist to work on her right hand.

"Spoiled, no. Incredibly whiny and immature? Absolutely. But your idea about the packet was really good. What did you put in the packet, by the way?"

"Oh, the almighty Sesshoumaru-sama is praising my idea! Never mind what I put inside the pack! Quick, get a tape recorder, I need to record that statement. Well, don't rejoice too soon, I have a feeling your Kagome won't sit quietly and become Miss Perfect overnight."

"Miss Perfect? Excuse me. She's already Daddy's Little Girl and Inutaisho's Surrogate Daughter. I'm sure if Inuyasha had his way she'd be his girlfriend too."

Kagura shrugged. "Well, that's not the issue at hand, really. I'm sure she's a nice girl. I called to tell you about the renewal of vows ceremony. Can I bring my silly sister Kanna to the ball afterwards?"

"What ball?" Sesshoumaru frowned.

Someone was being forgetful. "The ball after the renewal of vows… your dad and Inuyasha's mom…"

"Oh, that. I wasn't sure what ball you were referring to." Which was funny, he sometimes lost count of the number of balls he went to a week.

"And now that I think about it, it's in a week or so, right?" said Kagura.

"Don't remind me." All the planning that was going into the event was ridiculous. Although Sesshoumaru did not dislike his stepmother too badly, sitting with her and his father being forced to contemplate colour swatches and flower samples were the last thing on his agenda.

"Well, don't you think you should pray Kagome turns out wonderfully on that night? It'll only reflect, well, badly on you if she doesn't," Kagura pointed out.

Yes, trust Kagura to put the pressure on him too.

"Anyway anyone who can read will certainly benefit from my fast-track etiquette crash course!" exclaimed Kagura. "So don't worry."

With that they hung up and Sesshoumaru was left to himself, admittedly just a little curious now about what exactly Kagura had told him to give Kagome.

* * *

Kagome flopped on her bed, irritated.

She'd opened the packet Sesshoumaru had given her.

First, the_ Dining Etiquette for Dummies_. Followed by _Manners for Hopeless Cases_. Then, to add insult to injury, _Japan: Culture and History_. Couple with a few Platinum Visa and American Express cards, and a piece of paper telling her to read the books, and giving her a list of designer clothes to buy and where to find them.

She wasn't going to read the books, no way. Of course she'd take the credit cards. There was nothing better than shopping in the most expensive places, except shopping in the most expensive places for free.

Then again, if Sesshoumaru thought she was going to buy something like cocktail dresses, he was really dumber than she thought he was. Pity; he didn't look that stupid.

First, she'd order room service. Then she'd go shopping – for clothes she wanted. Kagome Higurashi was not someone's barbie doll, she seethed, chucking her etiquette books into the waste bin.

* * *

An hour later, down at the shops, she was set. "This will do nicely," Kagome said, handing her purchases over to the sales assistant.

"Definitely." If the sales person had any doubts, she was too well-trained to show it. But how often did young teenage girls waltz into a hotel boutique, grab random pairs of scuffy jeans and t-shirts off the rack, then pay for it using a gold credit card? Especially when the signature and name on the card said it belonged to Sesshoumaru Taishou?

Either way, the lady wrapped up the clothes in bags and handed them to Kagome.

In the way that only experienced shoppers know how to, Kagome picked up all the many bags, balancing them perfectly in two hands.

Next stop… a coffee shop.

That was the thing about shopping. It completely dehydrated the shopper. And when thirsty, one naturally went for a drink, which would naturally make one go for some muffin or decadent pastry.

So within minutes, still precariously balancing all her purchases, Kagome found herself eyeing pieces of cheesecake, pie, and fruity creations in the revolving glass case of one of the hotel's cafes.

One thing about Kagome was, while she could've cared next to nothing about her clothes, she cared next to everything about her food. And if you've ever sat in front of a cake shop, or ice-cream stand, you can definitely empathize. Mud cake, cherry tart or cinnamon rolls? Cookies and cream, toffee butterscotch vanilla, or good old wicked chocolate?

Finally, she made the agonizing decision. Flat white coffee, caramel cheesecake. A neat little waitress promptly brought her order. Greedily, Kagome eyed the food.

Silently thanking her father for the first time since she'd arrived in Japan, she grabbed her fork and dug in. Seeing as she made it a point not to frequent anything but fish and chip shops or fast food joints, the last time she had eaten anything this good was… oh, maybe a few years ago? She had to hand it to the place, and the chefs they employed.

Judging from the way the café was packed with people, all looking busy and important, it would appear that the entire Kyoto knew this place for the coffee and cake too. Though Kagome received quite a few stares from the other well-heeled customers, all of whom were focusing on her T-shirt, which was really quite wrinkled now that she thought about it.

How disgusting. She'd go take a swim, take a shower and change; she'd bought a black swimsuit earlier for that purpose.

Polishing off the last of her cheesecake, she signalled for the bill. The same waitress brought to her, and Kagome handed over the credit card.

A man with the dreamy, deep purple eyes stared at her retreating back. Discreetly, he strolled up to the waitress who'd taken Kagome the bill.

"I'll take care of it," he said, taking the bill from her.

"Miroku-sama?" The waitress stared, wide-eyed. It wasn't everyday the manager of the establishment came to settle a bill himself.

He waved her away and flipped over the credit card, catching himself as he ogled the name embossed on the card.

Sesshoumaru Taishou.

Who the hell was the girl? She looked so goddamned familiar…

Absentmindedly he handed the card back to the waitress, who stared some more but decided not to question her boss's decision. And he could more than afford to give a meal on the house – he could supply every guest in the hotel with meals on the house and wouldn't feel the pinch.

He watched Kagome keep the card, pick up her shopping bags, and swing off towards the elevators.

How strange. He could've sworn he had seen her somewhere before.

* * *

The sun was shining brightly – really, the perfect day for working on a tan. Kagome's problem was, she never got tanned. Seriously. She had sat on a beach with her friends, and she was still milk white by the time they were sausage pink.

Life was unfair.

Muttering under her breath, Kagome slipped on her swimsuit, ripping off the tag and dumping her clothes into one of the changing room's lockers. She was still reeling from the heavy incense coming from one of the closed doors – some rich person busy getting their overworked souls some aroma therapy.

Then again, it _was_ the pool and spa floor.

Stepping outside onto the pool area, she squinted at the view of the city. There would be time to explore the city later, Inuyasha could take her. Plus, she needed to buy her damned toothbrush – she didn't take to using hotel ones, even though she lived in a Presidential Suite. And lip balm, and a hair brush, and all the billion things her father hadn't allowed her to pack along in his haste to get her on a plane to Japan.

Easing herself onto one of the deck chairs, Kagome settled herself on her stomach.

There was nothing like a dose of Tokyo sun.

From a distance Miroku watched the girl flop herself onto a deck chair, obviously going to work on a tan.

Yeah, right. In that one-piece conservative suit, she wasn't getting tanned anytime soon. Still her simplicity was commendable. And she did have a beautiful body.

Crossing the length of the pool, he headed towards her. He found himself giving her the once-over. From her bouncy hair to tiny feet. Then he found himself giving her the twice-over. The arch of her back to the slender curve of her waist. Pity she was on her stomach, he couldn't see her front.

And he gave her the thrice-over. That ass… and her thighs…

Ever the perfectionist, his eyes were drawn to the tiny, nearly invisible birthmark between her hip and thigh.

Impossible. Only one person had that birthmark, complete with perfect body. He had yet to figure out what she was doing in his café, in Japan, with the Taishou family.

But she had to be Kagome Higurashi, from middle school.

* * *

Closing her eyes, Kagome began to drift off. Jet lag was a pain in the butt.

A hand lightly cupped her ass.

Immediately, her eyes flew open, and she stopped herself whirling around and slapping the unfortunate perpetrator…

Simply because she knew this touch.

For four years, meaning one thousand, four hundred and sixty-one days, she had felt that hand grope her daily.

So she simply flipped over, looked behind her, and grinned evilly.

"This is the only time you're not getting slapped, Miroku."

He looked stunned, before grinning back. "Then I'd better try again…"

Immediately, his face was greeted by her hand. Pulling his neatly knotted tie, Kagome dragged him into a hug on top of her.

"What brings you to Tokyo?" he asked, perfectly happy to be squashed on top of Kagome in a bathing suit of all things.

"My dad wants me to turn into a lady here." She looked sour, her fingers pulling his tie from its neat professional knot into the rumpled version he'd worn way back when they were in school.

"A lady," breathed Miroku dreamily.

"Idiot." Kagome pushed him off her. "People will think something's going on between us. And as if I'd want to be seen with you."

He decided not to remind her she was the one who had dragged him atop her in the first place.

"So, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to go to England to study, that's why you left in tenth grade." Settling herself in his lap, Kagome watched as a fat lady struggled to do laps in the pool.

"I was. But my dad died about six months ago, so I came to Japan to take over the business."

"I'm sorry," sighed Kagome. "I remember your father. He wasn't a particularly... loyal man where ethics and women were concerned, but he was so full of zest for life and energy."

He nodded appreciatively, knowing she never spoke about people's dead parents, not after her mother had died. "Things happen. I've moved on."

"What are you doing in the Taishou's casino complex anyways?"

"It's where the main branch of our cafes is. Otherwise we'll be opening our eleventh branch in Hokkaido soon, and another in Bejing next month. You? What brings you to Kyoto?"

"Yeah, my manners are atrocious, I've finished school, guess who good old daddy chose to be my watchdog? His Highness of Antarctica himself."

Miroku straightened up and looked at her. "You're kidding." Sesshoumaru, and Kagome? Miroku could see the sparks already.

"No, I'm not. His Highness wanted me out of the way so he threw me some etiquette books and credit cards. But if he thinks I'm going to buy anything but chocolate and jeans, he can think again."

That would explain the credit cards. "So you're in the care of Sesshoumaru?"

"No, duh. How boring. What am I supposed to do, shop, party, and get massages?"

"You could give them," Miroku said, sounding hopeful.

"Sure. Five thousand yen per minute, please."

"No problem." Miroku pulled out his wallet from his pocket and counted the bills. "How about… half an hour?"

Her eyes went wide. That was nearly a thousand five hundred US dollars. And just to give a massage to her best friend from sixth grade? "You're on."

* * *

"Where's Kagome?" asked Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru looked uninterested. "Don't know. In her room, maybe." Hopefully.

Inuyasha snorted. "Aren't we supposed to take her around town? I need to take her to the nightclubs, oh, even Jakotsu will love her."

"That homosexual boy who sent me fan mail?"

"Now, come on, he was drunk. It was a dare anyways."

He glared at Inuyasha. "And I suppose you dared him? Kagura picks up my mail, you know."

"She… does?" Inuyasha contemplated this for the moment, before bursting out laughing.

"Don't you have some other person to deafen?"

"No, big brother, only you."

"I'm honoured," Sesshoumaru said sarcastically.

"You should be. I'm so clever."

"Yes, Inuyasha, we all know your dick is bigger than your brain. And that isn't saying much about your brain."

Inuyasha looked scornful. "I haven't lowered myself to making jokes about other people's size."

"And I haven't lowered myself to being an all-out goddamned nuisance."

"Be that way. I'm going to find Kagome," Inuyasha said, turning to leave.

Sesshoumaru halted him. "When you find her, tell her about Father's renewal of vows ball next week."

"Ooh, who are you bringing?"

"Myself," Sesshoumaru said coolly. "Now scram."

"Yes, your majesty," snorted Inuyasha, sauntering from the room.

* * *

"Hell, who feeds you?" swore Kagome, straddling his hips, pinning Miroku face-down to the deck chair. Her fingers worked slowly down his shoulders and back. His silk blazer was strewn on the wet ground, undoubtedly ruined. Well, it had only been Armani.

"Pardon?"

"Miroku, I hate to break it to you, but you're skinny."

"I am not, girl, do you know how much I eat?"

"Three slices of pizza, a serving of meatloaf, spaghetti and a sushi roll. Yes, I remember your staples. Some people have all the luck with high metabolisms and all."

"Kagome, you're not fat."

"Are you implying something?" she asked with a dangerous smirk. Sliding off him, she ran a finger down his side lightly.

Miroku sprang up immediately. "Kagome!"

"Still ticklish, eh?" she winked, before beating a hasty retreat.

Laughing, he chased after her, earning them stares from some guests.

It all seemed to happen at once. Kagome halted by the edge of the pool. He caught up to her. She jumped in and dragged him along.

In his clothing, too.

He felt his feet barely touch the bottom of the pool, and knew Kagome had to be treading water. Brushing the water from his eyes, he shook his head at her. She herself was busy laughing her head off.

"Kagome, you ruined my shirt."

"I'll buy you another," she promised merrily.

Pulling herself up onto the pool ledge, she dangled her toes in the water lazily.

"How long are you staying in Tokyo?" he asked.

"For the summer. I'll be bored shitless." Sighing, Kagome watched the water ripple. Hitting on an idea, she turned to Miroku. "Can I work in your café? Pretty please with sugar and cream and a cherry on top? I'll be good…"

"Um, sure?" As usual, he had no clue what she was going to do next.

"Great! I'll start tomorrow." Getting up, she turned to get a towel from the deck…

Only to slip and fall straight into the pool again.

Bursting out laughing, Miroku held her above water as Kagome spluttered, water running down her cheeks.

"Kagome?"

She looked up at the person calling her. Inuyasha stood on the deck, looking wary of the splashing water drops.

"Yeah?"

"Want to tour to city sometime tomorrow?"

She smiled at him. "I've got work. How about some other time?"

"Sure. Call me…" Inuyasha looked from her, to Miroku, back to her again. "You know the lecher?"

Kagome looked from Inuyasha, to Miroku, and to Miroku's arms around her back and their close proximity to each other.

"It's not what it looks like," she began nervously.

**End Chap 2-----**


	3. Conflict

**A/N: ****I have to say all you darling readers have been fantastic with the reviews. Also quite a number of you picked up on certain 'flaws' in Kagome's character. I love Kagome too, but she's not perfect either, so hopefully Sesshoumaru can fix this!  
**

**Nothing else to talk about, so on with the next chapter, I guess! This chapter is dedicated to Shirakawa-san and Keiji-kun!**

**Chapter 3: Conflict**

_In which there is a shopping spree_

"Ok, Kagome, this is Sango Asano. She'll show you the ropes," Miroku introduced.

Where had she heard that name before? "Pleased to meet you," smiled Kagome, bobbing a curtsey.

She couldn't help it. In her waitress's uniform, working for a paid wage, she felt so… _free_ to do whatever she liked. Her father had never approved of his darling baby working for money - how crass, how un-ladylike, how irresponsible of her to abandon her studies.

"Sango, this is Kagome Higurashi," Miroku was saying.

And where had _she_ heard that name? Smiling, Sango bobbed a curtsey back.

"Ok, glad to see you like each other. Kag -" Miroku paused, sneezing. "Kagome, you do know you can't work too long."

"Yes, _mother_. And go get some pills for yourself, I think you've caught a cold after our little swimming pool rendezvous."

"Swimming pool rendezvous?" asked Sango, rasing her eyebrows.

"Miroku and me – I mean, Miroku and I -" her Japanese was so damned bad – "were friends back in middle school. We happened to meet each other by the pool, and then we fell in." Kagome smiled. "So, what do I do first?"

Chattering, the girls already went off, leaving Miroku staring in their wake. Maybe he _would_ go get some 'new and improved' drug from the doctor's. That silly Kagome had forgotten he was allergic to chlorine.

* * *

"Hi, I have good news and bad news," Kagura said.

"Bad news first." Sesshoumaru very patiently (in his opinion of 'patiently') waited.

She paused over the phone. "Good news first. Good news is, I received your credit card bills this morning. Your Kagome went shopping like a good little girl."

That was pretty good. "And the bad news?"

"She went shopping like a good little girl, but bought all the wrong stuff."

God help him. "Do you mind faxing over the paperwork?"

"Just did," Kagura sang. Sure enough, his fax machine beeped and began printing.

Snatching the papers, Sesshoumaru glanced over the bills and statements quickly.

Just like he had thought – eighteen year olds couldn't be left to their own devices without screwing everything up.

* * *

A girl holding a tray of newly-washed dishes ran along, colliding head-first into Kagome.

"Damn!" sighing, Kagome looked at the mess. "Where's the broom?"

Sango raced past them, barely pausing to speak. This was lunch hour – no time to waste. "Minako, clean that up. Kagome, I need you to take an order from the corner table by the window, the one with the two longish-haired men. Naraku-san and Onigumo-san; don't mix their names up, though they look alike. Naraku has the wavy hair. They can be difficult, because they're spoiled and rich, but that's their problem." In a flash, she disappeared into the kitchens.

Stifling a groan of exhaustion, Kagome made her way to the table Sango had pointed out to her. Being a waitress was no fun. Then again, her father had always preached about how lucky she was that she didn't need to work to earn her keep.

Somehow, she managed to glue a smile to her face. Whipping out her notepad, she paused, pen poised over paper. "Hi, can I take your order?"

"Nothing for us, just sake. Bring a whole jarful." The man with the wavy hair spoke.

"Hai, Naraku-san." She scribbled something random and English onto her notepad for appearance's sake, before going off to the kitchens to get their drinks.

"Hey, you!" A waiter ran up to her, shoving a tray towards here. "That goes to the table the middle."

Confused, Kagome took the tray. Why didn't they just number the tables, like they did in fish and chips shops? It was much easier than each of them trying to figure out with was the 'middle table' or the 'table by the window.'

"Waitress!" Onigumo was calling out to her.

Again, she fixed on another bright, fake smile. "Yes?"

"What's your name?"

"Kagome."

"Well, Kagome, why haven't our drinks arrived yet?" Onigumo said condescendingly.

She bristled at his tone. "But sir, you just ordered them."

"But Kagome," he mimicked, "I want them _now_."

Naraku cut in. "Don't be mean, Onigumo-san. You'll frighten the poor thing. First day on the job, is it, dear?"

Kagome nodded numbly.

"Well, you do understand that Onigumo-san and myself are the most powerful men in Japan…"

_Yeah right. That would be Inutaisho-sama and my father, you arrogant prick._ "Of course, how could I have missed it?" Kagome asked with a girlish laugh.

"Very good. So how about that sake we ordered?"

"Coming, _sir_." Nearly rolling her eyes, Kagome marched off towards the kitchens.

"Ooh, she's feisty," Onigumo commented.

Naraku was frowning. "I think there's more to her than what she looks. But she's still a pretty young thing… shame to pass her up."

"Who said anything about passing her up?" Onigumo said darkly. "We're the 'most powerful men in Japan'. Would a mere waitress dare stand up to us?"

"Shut up, she's coming now," muttered Naraku under his breath.

"There you go," Kagome said, pouring out two cups and leaving the jar there.

"Stay and chat a little," invited Onigumo.

Alarm bells went beeping off in Kagome's head. This was a real pervert, not the cute harmless Miroku kind, but the really perverted kind. "Sorry… I have work to do…"

"What nonsense. Work! You're a smart girl, Kagome. Let me tell you, if you become any one of Onigumo-san or my 'favourites', you need never work anymore in your life," Naraku said.

Disgusting. "Um, I'll take my chances and pass."

"It wouldn't be wise to turn us down," Onigumo said sharply.

"Listen," Kagome began desperately. "You don't understand. I don't really work here, I'm actually in Tokyo to stay with Inutaisho-sama for awhile."

"Sama, eh?" Naraku turned to his friend. "Never knew Inutaisho trained his women so well. How does Naraku-sama sound? Hey, Kagome, call me Naraku-sama."

"Don't worry, even if that nasty old man Inutaisho has had you, we still want you," Onigumo added, with utmost eagerness.

"But I don't want you!" Kagome said firmly, causing a few heads from other tables to turn..

"We're done here," Naraku said, looking at his untouched sake cup with distaste. He stood up to go. "Kagome, come with us."

"No," snapped Kagome.

His gripped her wrist. "Yes."

Where the hell was Miroku to bail her out of this mess… Then she remembered. Miroku was allergic to chlorine. No wonder he was all sneezy this morning… maybe he had gone home.

Just her luck.

* * *

Where on earth could a girl disappear to? Sesshoumaru had sent Inuyasha looking for Kagome to no avail, until finally he had went looking himself. He had a score to settle with her.

But she was nowhere to be found – not at the pool, the spa, the hairdresser's, the shopping boutiques or even the casino itself.

Though he would never show it, he was getting weary, and stopped by Miroku Yoroido's café for a coffee.

And there Kagome was, decked out – prettily, he had to admit – in a waitress's uniform, arguing with Naraku Yamada, the man who lost millions at the casino as often as he tried some half-baked scheme to cheat the dealers.

Sesshoumaru watched with silent interest. Naraku had his hand around Kagome's wrist and seemed intent on taking her with him; on her part, she struggled and cursed.

He nearly laughed when Kagome promptly gave Naraku a tight slap, at which the man flushed bright red and looked absolutely furious.

Enough of watching – Sesshoumaru needed to step in before his father had his head for any losses on Kagome's part.

"Yamada-san. Such a lovely morning today, isn't it? Why all the fuss?"

If anything, the appearance of Sesshoumaru incensed Naraku even more. "The wench dared to slap me!"

"I'm sure she didn't. Kagome, did you hit Naraku?"

She glared at him. "He thought I was your dad's mistress, said that he and his little buddy Onigumo were the most powerful men in Japan and wanted me to screw him."

"Oh dear." Sesshoumaru nearly rolled his eyes. "Kagome, you're new working here, so I suppose you don't know that the customer is always right. Please apologize to Yamada-san and his friend."

"What?" Kagome seethed under her breath, glaring at him.

He leaned in closer to her, a small smirk on his face. "Well, if you choose to do play-acting as a waitress, you have to play the part well. That includes… apologizing for mistakes."

She stared at him, trembling in anger. He stared back calmly.

"Fine! God, I'm sorry, ok?" Kagome muttered, her cheeks flushed bright red. Sesshoumaru Taishou had officially made it into her black book, on the top of the page titled 'bastards'.

"That's all?" Naraku couldn't help it; she was too pretty to pass up. "Don't I get to take the wench home?"

"No, unfortunately," Sesshoumaru had to dig Naraku; he'd never liked the man anyways. "I'm sure a man of your importance would have heard of Akihiro Higurashi and his daughter Kagome Higurashi. Of course, if you want to speak to Higurashi-san about marriage arrangements with his daughter I can arrange a meeting, but for now you are not taking any wenches home. Good day." Sesshoumaru nodded to Naraku, before steering Kagome out of the cafe into a side corridor outside.

"I'm not marrying the asshole!" she snapped.

"Indeed, you're not." He had to hand it to her. She looked childless and innocent, but there was more to her than that. Calmly, he handed her his credit card bill.

Her eyes widened as she skimmed it. How could she have overlooked the fact that he would ultimately get billed, and know what she bought? Which was not Dior suit jackets and Jimmy Choo sandals, but rather ripped jeans from DKNY.

Guiltily, she looked at Sesshoumaru.

"I said if you simply did I what told you on the instructions sheet we could steer clear of each other. Apparently not. So you have two choices," he said. "One, you come with me now, and get proper clothes."

Hell no. "Two?" snapped Kagome.

"Hmm… same as the above."

"I'm not moving from this spot!" declared Kagome. The last thing she wanted was to go out shopping with someone in her black books, on the top of the page titled 'bastards'.

His eyebrow arched softly. "Want to bet?"

* * *

Never, ever, bet with the son of an owner of a casino.

Kagome sobbed for the thousand yen she lost and the indignity of the whole situation, while Sesshoumaru carried her struggling body through the lobby of the hotel.

"Put me down!" gasped Kagome, crying out in surprise. No one had ever been so mean to her, ever.

Taking no notice of her kicking, Sesshoumaru still gracefully manoeuvred through the crowds of businessmen who stared and hid grins. His left arm easily held her shaking shoulders, while the right gripped her knees strongly even as she struggled to kick him. One might have mistaken them for a happy couple on their wedding day, but Kagome looked too upset to be a happy bride.

Inuyasha was there in the lobby. "Hey, Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha stared at Kagome, her head cradled seemingly close to Sesshoumaru's chest. "Where are you going?"

"Shopping," he said. "And call the chauffeur. I hate to admit it, but she's a handful, and I can't reach for my cell phone."

"I am not a handful!" Kagome said indignantly. "Inuyasha, tell him to put me down."

"He can't make me," Sesshoumaru said derisively.

"I'll tell my dad," muttered Kagome.

"Your dad doesn't care."

Damn. It was true – her dad had abandoned her in Japan under the care of a monster called Sesshoumaru.

The same monster bundled her into a black limousine. Inuyasha followed uncertainly, and Sesshoumaru growled directions to the driver before sliding inside as well.

"I hate you," Kagome told Sesshoumaru.

"You're acting spoilt and childish," he informed her calmly.

He had a point. Kagome shut up immediately. What would her father think if he saw her today, being carted off like a baby in front of everyone by Sesshoumaru?

Too soon, the limo pulled up by a great glass building. Inuyasha hopped out eagerly – he needed a new wristwatch and this was the place to get it.

"Coming out?" Sesshoumaru asked Kagome.

If she couldn't be childish, she'd be uncooperative. Refusing to speak to him, Kagome merely glared.

"Fine." Saying nothing more, he scooped her up and stepped out.

If she hadn't been carried here against her will, Kagome might have enjoyed shopping in this place.

But it didn't change the fact that she didn't want to be there, that she was probably going leave the place swathed in Chanel, Benetton, and Versace.

Sitting primly next to Inuyasha on a couch draped with heavy silks and embroidery, Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru seemed deep in conversation with a tastefully dressed woman. Finally, he sauntered back to her, and looked almost as bored as he was impassive.

"You have three choices," he told her.

"Real choices?" she asked, glaring.

"Either you start with the casual section, the formal section or the tailor."

Kagome stared. "What tailor?"

"Tailor; a person who makes clothes," he defined cynically.

"You _make_ your clothes to order?"

The lady – the saleslady, to be exact – stepped in with a smile. "Some people don't fit all clothing perfectly."

She noticed Sesshoumaru's eye twitch just a fraction, and nearly grinned. It was obvious why – Kagome was willing to bet that any business suit long enough for him wouldn't be slim enough. And _no_, perfectionists _had_ to have their clothes fit perfectly.

"Um, casual?" Maybe if she would co-operate just enough to get them to allow her some sweatshirts...

"And is the other gentleman coming?"

Was this salesgirl a dumb ass or what? "I wasn't aware _any_ gentlemen were coming," Kagome said.

Sesshoumaru was unmoved. "No, and let you screw everything up again? I'm sure you've done high school math. I'm the constant, Inuyasha's the variable."

"And what would you do, strip me?"

"If it comes down to that." He looked at her evenly.

"Inuyasha can stay outside," she snapped.

"Touchy, are we? Casual it is then. Eriko-san, would you mind leading the way?"

She wasn't aware Sesshoumaru was on a first-name basis with the ladies working here. Then again, he seemed so expert as driving her insane, Kagome was positive other fathers had sent their daughters to him for a grilling. Undoubtedly he had a wonderful relationship with his partners-in-crime, the ones who would force her into stilettos and pencil skirts.

Then again, Kagome couldn't picture the stand-offish Sesshoumaru on a first-name basis with _anyone_.

A small group of sales girls met them in a section of the mall – some mall, when it seemed they were the only shoppers. (Kagome would later find out it was a mall you visited by appointment only.)

She stood, unsure of herself, while the sales girls fanned out among the racks with inhuman speed. Sesshoumaru leaned against a three-paned floor-length mirror, eyeing her.

"Try this." Eriko handed her a black dress with a chiffon, powder pink trim.

"I said _casual_," Kagome repeated, looking at the clothes like they were from another planet.

"But Miss Higurashi, this _is_ casual."

"Sesshoumaru!" complained Kagome.

He looked bored. "Smart casual, Kagome. Your previous clothes are what people generally refer to as play clothes. And other than staring blankly at your clothes it would be nice if you would try them on. What's more, you get to choose between three things. Either you put them on yourself, you get the ladies to do it, or I'll do it."

"Dressing rooms?"

"What's wrong with this room?" asked Sesshoumaru somewhat innocently.

"The fact that you're _here_…"

"Trust me, Kagome, I've seen women much more well-mannered and beautiful than you, and they were naked, too."

She had to hand it to him – he had _nerve_. "I'm not undressing in front of you," she said firmly.

"Oh, I think you will."

"Make me."

"Want to bet?"

* * *

She could have kicked herself for making the same mistake twice, for losing another thousand yen.

"I'm telling my father, and that's a promise," Kagome snapped as Sesshoumaru pinned her to the wall with one hand and started pulling her clothes off with the other.

"Want to bet he won't listen?" Sesshoumaru asked, dropping each article of clothing on the floor carelessly until she stood before him in her underwear. "You already owe me two thousand yen, by the way."

"Yeah! My dad will!"

"Fine." Taking out of his cell phone, Sesshoumaru handed it to her. "Call him."

Furious, Kagome punched in the numbers and waited for the overseas operator to connect.

"_Goddamn, whoever this is, do you have any idea what time it is_?" a sleepy voice answered.

"Daddy! I can't stay here, I hate this, hate this!"

"_Kagome_?"

"He's a prick, daddy! I hate the guts out of him. He's already taken two thousand yen from me, made me apologize to this complete bastard who was trying to hit on me, told me I was being childish, and now he's smirking at me in my underwear, the son of a bitch!"

"I'm not smirking," Sesshoumaru said. "I'm appalled at the state of your undergarments. Is that really cotton?"

"See? Heard that, daddy?"

"_Honey, what are you doing with Sesshoumaru in your underwear_?"

"He stripped me!"

"_Must be fun; wish I was there to see it. Unfortunately, you have to enjoy it by yourself. Ja mata, dear_."

"That's another thousand yen you lost," Sesshoumaru said calmly, keeping his phone in his coat pocket. "Oh, Eriko-san, do you have a coat or robe at hand?"

She handed him a fluffy bathrobe, and he draped it around Kagome. "Come on, we're going."

"Where? You're not making me go anywhere in my underwear."

"Want to bet?"

"Hell yes!"

* * *

Inuyasha looked up as Sesshoumaru appeared through the polished double doors of the casual section, carrying Kagome in a bathrobe, gaping slightly at the pair.

"Hey, where are you going?" he asked, trying not to stare at the sight of Kagome.

"Lingerie section," Sesshoumaru said, trying not to sigh.

**A/N: Well, now to answer a few more review questions. I thought the cast would like to answer them, along with adding their input about this chapter. :D Hope you're enjoying Kyoto Summer so far! Love, INK**

Inuyasha: How come… _HE _gets to see Kagome naked?///

Miroku: Not naked, in her underwear. Trust me, though, when we were little, the guys decided to break into the girls' locker room, and that –

Shirakawa-san: Both of you, _shut up_.

Kouga: When do _I_ make an appearance?

Kagura: Shut up and wait your turn. You're not getting on until Rin does.

Inuyasha: Hey, where's Kagome and Sesshoumaru?

Miroku: What do you think a guy and girl do when one of them is half-naked?

Kagome: Oh god, you hentai.

Sango: Damned right :drags Miroku off stage to beat him senseless:


	4. A Busy Day

**A/N: Thanks all for taking the time to drop a note! n.n**

**Massao-na-Mizu: **Well, I haven't actually thought of it as a story insignia yet. XD But now that you mention it… for me, I just really like Kagura's character. I don't know why so many people cast her as, and I quote from a story: "Kagura was the school's number two bitch besides Kikyou." Personally I don't like Kikyou for spoiler reasons, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with Kagura. So yes, I always put her in a pretty good light if possible.

**Angel of Darkness and Death: **Thank you very much, glad you find it so.

**Blinky Blix: **xD I don't find my stories funny until I read them over a few months later. Then I actually understand why reviewers say I'm hilarious. Thanks for reviewing!

**Misty Amethyst: **Arigatou Misty-chan:heart:

**Mysztical Star:** Thanks!

**Victoria:** I just did. xD

**DarkShadow:** Thanks! xD

**lord tatsu: **Hmm, I might. I have never done a good Kikyou before, and it might be interesting.

**Shira Lifallen Tears: **Le sigh… but how can they fall in love if Sessh doesn't torture her? xD

**cool-chick-rae: **Lol, I was hoping people would enjoy the shopping scene. :goes off to find more scenes:

**Yuki Asao: **Hm… good point. Oh well. Maybe Akihiro was drunk at the time. :P

**Kage Otome:** Oh, I'm betting it'll take Kagome more than just awhile to learn not to bet with Sessh. Ok, I have to shut up before my muses and agents kill me. xP

**Lady Icykimi: **A picture of Sessh running around the mall carrying Kagome in her underwear? I drew a fan art of that somewhere, but lost it in my folders. And I don't know how sarcastic and humourous I am in real life… but some reason I love coming with cynicisms for Sesshoumaru.

**Trina3:** Thanks. I was actually stuck… then it popped into my head. Lingerie. There. xD

**i-wish-i-was-kagome: **I think she had a bra on. xD

**Danielle:** No, it's Sess/Kag, with maybe a hint of Inu/Kag.

**Demented Dope: **You serious? XD Thanks!

**Sheenachi: **I'm thinking that too. Why the _HELL_ is Kagome complaining? She's nearly the luckiest girl in the world IMHO.

**megan: **Don't worry, I have never written a story without a hentai Miroku. He'll take center stage sometime!

**Celtrasa: **Nuu… I blame the muses!

**anime-lover-forever2007: I must, unfortunately, agree with you. xD**

**Mystified3: **Of course Kagome gets payback. No one, NO ONE, is mean to her and gets away with it, not even Sesshoumaru.

**Skitzoflame: **Thank you for always quoting the parts you liked of my story. n.n It helps me a great deal in judging what other funny bits I should put in the rest of my chapters.

**LadyAkina: **I like her dad too. xD

**Kaoru4: **Hmm, she might. P

**Sesshoumarugrl: **Well, let's ask him. Sessh, did you love it:nod: There, he loved it, the little playboy. xD

**Dargowen of Ithilien: **I learned that there is power in repetition. xD

**dancing-by-moonlight:** Thank you. I wasn't sure how the reaction of the readers would be, but it seems they really like the lingerie bit. :D

**stoictimer: **To be frank… I have no goddamned clue. :P

**Kyoko 15:** Sorry, no. I cannot have more quantity without compromising the quality.

**Wolf Jade: **And for her sake, let's hope that day comes soon. xD

**Jazze Pha: **What a whole lot of compliments! Thank you very much.

**xSilverShadowsx: **Hmm… that's an idea. I'll keep that in mind. :P

**M. Makimachi: **o.o Really? Wow… thanks!

_**And very special thanks to the following people. Thank you for your encouragement, compliments and ideas, they are very much loved.**_

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* * *

**

**Chapter 4: A Busy Day**

_In which our stars of the show are headed for disaster _

"What is _wrong_ with you?" yelled Kagome, at the end of her patience. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with my underwear!"

They were standing in the middle of the lingerie department, and despite it being decorated like a Japanese-style room, the mood there was hardly Zen.

"Nothing wrong?" Sesshoumaru sounded amazed. "I can bet with you my old housekeeper has sexier underwear than you."

Trembling in anger, she turned to face Sesshoumaru. "Stay out of my underwear. I'll tell – I'll tell -"

He decided not to point out how suggestive that sounded. "Your father, yes, I've heard."

"No, I'll tell _your_ father." Smiling to herself, Kagome saw that she hit a nerve.

His lips thinned and he pushed her behind a folding screen, while the rest of the salesgirls set to work shoving a dozen underwear samples at her. "Don't make me come behind there."

"And if you do?"

"Want to bet on the outcome?"

"Shut up."

"I'm not the one wearing underwear like a seven-year-old would. Honestly, Kagome. White sports bra and underwear?"

She must have climbed up a stool, because she stuck her head over the screen to glare at him. "What kind of a pervert are you? Not only do you know the different types of underwear women wear, you know what little girls wear. God, you pedophile."

"Say that again and I'll make you wear a thong."

Muttering a few choice words, Kagome stepped down from the stool, grumbling. Grabbing the closest piece of lingerie thrust at her, a black silk bra, Kagome eyed it with dislike.

On the other side of the screen, Kagome heard a phone ring. Sesshoumaru picked up and she strained to listen.

But he wasn't about to let her hear anything. Again peeping out over the screen, she looked at him.

Already, he had finished his phone call and was glaring at her.

"Are you done?" he asked coolly. All because of this silly girl with no fashion sense he had just missed an important meeting, and all she was doing was stare at him in annoyance.

"Are you done being rude?" she asked equally coolly.

"No, I tend to continue for a little more."

That was it. He was shameless. Completely, absolutely, shameless when it came to proclaiming himself as an asshole – and she'd had it.

Reaching for another piece of underwear, Kagome took careful aim, and flung it at Sesshoumaru's head.

He caught the pink, lacy creation just before it touched his hair, and glared at her.

"Ha, um, sorry," Kagome said, beginning to sweat.

* * *

"Miroku, it's not fair," grumbled Kagome.

"Wh – what's not fair?" Miroku asked, gripping his phone tightly. Really, this was not a good time for him. He'd gotten front seats at one of the hottest strip shows in the city, and here was Kagome, the darling, calling him.

"Sesshoumaru's such a jerk."

The pole dancer in front of him lifted her leg a little higher, and Miroku ogled. "Uh, who? Yeah, of course, he's a jerk, yeah."

"What am I supposed to do?" cried Kagome, sitting on her bed, tucking the phone under her ear.

"Um… cooperate. Do whatever he says, and you'll get it over with in two month's anyways."

"True… but -"

"God, that ass."

"You mean Sesshoumaru?" Kagome perked up.

"No… what, I mean, yes…"

"Miroku, are you feeling alright?"

"Um, yeah. Well, Kagome –"

"_What_?" Kagome narrowed her eyes. "Miroku, are you in a club?"

He sounded guilty and distracted at the same time. "I dunno."

"Argh! Will you ever change?"

"What? No… holy, Kagome, you should see her legs!"

Sighing, Kagome hung up. There was simply no helping Miroku when he was in club-mode.

She eyed herself in the mirror.

Someone alien, dressed in a cream blouse and skirt.

Impulsively, Kagome started pulling off her clothes and dropping them carelessly on the ground. Crawling under the sheets, she sank into her pillows and began to drift off to sleep.

No doubt that arguing with Sesshoumaru Taishou all day was tiring; she was so, so tired...

* * *

All of a sudden the air conditioning no longer washed over her skin in breezy waves. Instead, a soothing warmth hovered so, so close…

Slowly, Kagome lifted her heavy eyelids.

Sesshoumaru stared at her from just millimetres away.

She shrieked. "What are you doing here?"

"You're late," he said calmly.

Remembering she was nude, Kagome pulled the sheets up to her neck. "Late for what?"

"Today's activities. You have… ten seconds to get out of bed, fifteen minutes to shower and ten minutes to eat, starting… now."

Kagome groaned and rolled over.

"Kagome, if you don't get out of bed now you'll be sorry."

"No I won't."

"Want to bet?"

"Yeah, sure, why not?"

"You said it yourself," he warned.

Gingerly side-stepping Kagome's clothes and underwear strewn about, Sesshoumaru made his way to the bathroom. Rinsing a washcloth in cold water, he went back to Kagome and wrung out the cloth on her face.

Her screech nearly drowned out the doorbell.

"That's room service," Sesshoumaru said. "Go wash up now."

Cursing, Kagome wrapped one of the sheets around her and trudged off to the bathroom. Finding a bathrobe, she wrapped it around herself and began brushing her teeth.

"So what are we doing today?" she asked, stepping out, the bathroom steaming behind her.

He pushed her onto a chair in front of a bowl of steaming miso soup and rice. "When you're done eating you'll visit the hairstylist."

Kagome halted. "Just what the hell's wrong with my hair?" she demanded. Of all the bloody insults he could give her. If there was one thing Kagome Higurashi spared no expense on, it was conditioner. And even if she said so herself, her hair was soft and thick and silky, and _no_ hairstylist was going near it.

Sesshoumaru looked bored. "Nothing's wrong with your hair."

"So why is a hair stylist touching my hair?"

"There is a fine difference between hair _dresser_ and hair _stylist_," he said smoothly. "Hair dressers cut your hair, while hair stylists _style_ it."

"Well, but, but…"

This girl was shocking – eighteen and never ever having gone to a hair stylist? "So who does your hair when you go to parties?"

"Um, myself. I just give it a few extra brushes."

He rolled his eyes. "Well, eat so we can get going, will you?"

Kagome played around with her rice. "What time is it?"

"Nine-twenty-seven in the morning. Your appointment is in three minutes."

"You mean you can't be late to your own hairstylist?"

Sesshoumaru looked like she'd just uttered a string of swear words. "It's called common courtesy to keep to your appointment times, Kagome."

"Ok… and what's after that?"

The doorbell rang again and Kagome found herself dragged from her morning meal and seated in front of the vanity table in her room.

"You have beautiful hair," breathed the hairstylist Yura softly, stroking Kagome's tresses.

"Yura, we're on a tight schedule," Sesshoumaru said firmly.

"Oh, right, sorry." Seemingly reluctant, Yura let go of Kagome's hair and picked up a spray bottle. "So, Sesshoumaru, when do I get to do your hair?"

"Well, let's see…" Sesshoumaru pretended to think hard. "When hell freezes over, I go bankrupt, and you no longer have a fetish for silver hair?"

"He's no fun," muttered Yura to Kagome darkly. "But that hair…"

"Yeah, silver, no big deal. If his brother and father didn't have it I would think it was dyed," Kagome said, raising her voice for his benefit.

"Dyed?" chucked Yura. "I can't imagine… Sesshoumaru sitting in a salon chair painstakingly getting dye combed through his hair? And how many packets of the stuff would he have to use for his hair, anyways?"

"I don't know, maybe he orders in bulk. After all, he's not going bankrupt anytime soon…" Kagome said snidely.

"Well, there you go," Yura said, finishing with Kagome's hair. "All done."

"Wow…" Kagome shook her head lightly and watched as her hair swished around in an almost playful manner.

"You can go," Sesshoumaru nodded to Yura.

"Bye!" Kagome waved. Turning to Sesshoumaru, she glared. "Do you have to be so rude all the time?"

Before he could reply another two people came in the room.

"And who are _they_?" asked Kagome.

"Colour consultants."

"But… I don't _want_ -"

Sesshoumaru had no idea why he was humouring this little girl. If anyone else had tried being so damned petulant and stubborn with him, he would have long given up and kicked their ass. Or at the very least given them an earful. Instead he was giving her plenty of his precious time.

Right, it was the fact that she just happened to be the daughter of Akihiro Higurashi. Honestly, that didn't mean she had the right to chuck underwear at his head or disregard every single thing he said.

Really, he should have run away when his father had told him about his 'assignment' that morning.

And what was he thinking? He had never run away, no, not from the toughest situations. And now he was thinking about running away from a girl?

No, he would stick to it. Either way, Kagome couldn't keep up her wilfulness for long. Plus, her bank account couldn't last forever – at the rate she was going, he could start living off his bets with her.

His phone rang again, another idiot on the line. "No, I said to _deposit_ twenty thousand dollars, idiot, not _withdraw_. Got that? You'd better write it down, and tell Kagura to take that lost interest out of your salary."

"Gosh, you're nice," Kagome commented.

"Mind your own business," Sesshoumaru said, hanging up.

His phone rang almost as incessantly as they argued.

"What's this silk scarf colour consultation thing all about, anyways?" asked Kagome.

"To see which colours suit you so you can choose an appropriate dress colour. In a couple of weeks my father and his wife are having a renewal of vows, and there will be a ball after, and you are expected to attend in a dress. It's only a dress, Kagome, no need to look stunned. Unless you prefer a kimono, and I can easily get one out of storage."

No. No kimono. She couldn't even walk in tight dresses, let alone a kimono. "I'll pass," muttered Kagome.

Sesshoumaru was already on the line again in sharp, curt tones. "Moshi moshi."

"_Oi, Sessh-chan! The -_"

"It's _Sesshoumaru_, Inuyasha, need I remind you? _Se-s-shou-maru_. You can feel free to add a 'sama' if you prefer."

"_Whatever, _Sesshoumaru-sama. _Anyways, Bankotsu and Jakotsu think Naraku and Onigumo are trying to cheat the dealers again._"

"Tsk… You would think they'd finally learn that the house always wins. Now get your ass down in security now."

He had stayed with Kagome long enough. About fifty people had called asking to see him so far. Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome. "I'll be back."

"Hey! How come you get to go gallavanting off somewhere and not me?" she demanded.

"Hmm… because it's my _job_?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Jeez, sorry. I thought you just bummed around like some rich kid."

He resisted throwing back a biting remark. The last thing he needed was his father mad at him for making her cry.

God help him. She was driving him insane.

* * *

"You are not blabbing to anyone about this," Sesshoumaru said sternly. "We don't generally admit members of the public."

He had to nerve to call her a member of the public? And did he go around criticizing the underwear choices of members of the public? "Of course not, I'm not stupid, you know," Kagome said, thrusting her hands into her bathrobe pockets.

He led her into a small, side elevator, far from the ones the guests used.

When the door opened Kagome peered out, gaping.

"Welcome," he told her stoically, almost amused at her expression, "to the heart of our entertainment complex. Others call it the administration."

People dressed immaculately rushed around at frantic paces from desk to desk. Phones rang shrilly all over the place. Files, papers and stacks of documents seemed everywhere, while photocopy machines rattled no-stop with use.

"Mind giving me a walk-through?" Kagome asked, feeling out of place in her robe.

Someone jogged up to them, cast an eye over Kagome sceptically before turning to Sesshoumaru. "Sorry to bother, sir, but the _Asia Economist_ would like an interview about the casino and -"

"That's all you called me down here for? Talk to Inuyasha about it, Kouga. I'm busy. Kagome, stop looking so bored, this level handles public relations. Subtle advertising, press control when necessary, the works."

"Ha, press control when the papers print stories about your sex life?" she asked smugly. Kouga could be seen suppressing grins.

"I would appreciate if you kept my personal life out of things. And no, press control for when disgruntled gamblers who have lost millions go to the press, complaining. And wipe that smirk of your face, Kouga, or I'll gladly take your job."

"Bye bye, Kouga!" Kagome called as Sesshoumaru nearly dragged her back onto the elevator.

The next floor was less busy, but even more packed with people.

"This floor sorts the feedback," Sesshoumaru said.

"They say there is always room for improvement," Kagome volunteered, grinning, and he shot her a withering look.

It seemed as if his idea of meeting people was merely appearing on the level and letting people run to his feet. Sighing, Kagome watched as three people appeared before them.

"I thought Inuyasha was handling the proposals," Sesshoumaru said, narrowing his eyes as he was handed three slim files.

"He said to give all improvement proposals to you, sir," they chorused before walking away.

He thrust her the files. "Remind me to kill Inuyasha."

The floor above handled designs, and again Kagome ended up carrying another stack of files filled with design plans.

"Why the hell you do need a design floor anyways?" she asked, hurrying after Sesshoumaru.

He paused and looked at her as though she were born yesterday or something. "Where do you think the logos on your bedroom slippers come from? Or the patterns on the casino money chips?"

"Forget I asked," mumbled Kagome.

She watched as he punched in a long, complicated code into the keypad besides the door. The pad beeped in reluctant agreement, and slid apart in two halves. Sesshoumaru swiped a card down it, and it beeped again, closing, and swinging open the door.

"Aren't your security guards good enough?" Kagome asked, following him. "You need such fancy technology to protect them?"

"It's -" Sesshoumaru paused as a computerized male voice came to llife.

"_Security breach… security breach… lockdown in 10… 9… 8…_"

She panicked. "What's that all about?"

"Call it… a scarecrow manoeuvre. You see, thieves and people breaking into other people's property all have one thing in common. They're scared. Imagine you are breaking into a casino's security room. It's completely empty, and you sneak it nervously. Next, something blares out saying if you don't get your ass out in ten seconds you're getting locked in while the police come. That's incentive enough to make most people run."

"Wait… so that's like, a '_Welcome to Security_' greeting?" Kagome said.

"If you wanted to call it that."

"Jeez, you scared me," grumbled Kagome. "I don't fancy being locked in a room with you."

He said nothing, but walked up to another door. Again, he began pressing in a code.

"And why do you use so much protection anyways?" she repeated.

"Why do you ask so many questions?"

"You answer first."

"One, this is hardly protection. If I really wanted to completely keep this place from outsiders we would install things that required fingerprint, iris pattern, and blood type verification."

"Aw, serious?" Kagome stared. "You'd poke your finger on a pin before it allowed you access?"

He ignored her. "And two…" the door swung open. "If we didn't keep people from this place, we'd get sued upside down."

"Hey Kagome!" Inuyasha greeted as they stepped inside. "Nice clothes."

"Um, thanks," she said, turning pink. Sesshoumaru grabbed the files she was holding and shoved them into Inuyasha's arms.

"Sort these out, you lazy bum. Jakotsu, Bankotsu, meet Kagome."

Jakotsu waved while Bankotsu eyed her, his eyes glinting.

"Pervert," Jakotsu said, smacking Bankotsu.

"Are you two a couple?" asked Kagome in puzzlement.

"No, they're brothers," Inuyasha answered.

It was Kagome's turn to stare politely – can anyone stare politely? – before turning even pinker.

"We'll be great friends," laughed Jakotsu, and for a moment he reminded Kagome of Miroku. They had that same carefree laugh.

But she now understood why Sesshoumaru had said they would get sued upside down if anyone ever stepped foot into the security room.

Two whole walls were covered in tiny flickering screens, making it into an enormous grid of tiny squares.

"This covers every square inch of the casino," Inuyasha explained. "Even under the gaming tables."

It took awhile to sink in before Kagome sprang up, shocked. "And what if girls don't sit with their legs closed?"

"Well, their problem," shrugged Inuyasha. "Too many people have tried passing cards under the tables. It's too risky. Plus, Jakotsu swings the _other_ way, so the occasional flash of underwear doesn't bother him too much."

"Except one time someone brought in a transvestite," Bankotsu cut in, shuddering. "I got a good shock; Jakotsu got a good time."

No wonder Sesshoumaru said they would get sued if anyone ever came in there.

"Well, you were saying something about Naraku and Onigumo?" Sesshoumaru asked impatiently.

"Yes. They were at the roulette table…" Jakotsu grabbed an enormous remote control and fiddled with it. A large screen on the third wall sprang to life.

Kagome remembered Naraku and his friend Onigumo. They hung around a roulette table, looking smug.

"Ok, watch." The two men placed bets, and the wheel soon began to turn. They lost, but seemed completely cheerful about it.

"You'd think they'd have polished their poker faces by now," Bankotsu said in disgust.

"I don't get it," Inuyasha said in bewilderment. Kagome didn't either.

"What, don't tell me they tried faking their chips," Sesshoumaru said in disgust.

"Something like that," Jakotsu said. He paused and zoomed in towards Naraku's hand, which held a stack of dark green circular chips.

"Hey, he got the colour wrong," Inuyasha exclaimed. "He's got army green chips. We have forest green chips!"

For the life of her Kagome couldn't tell the difference between the two.

Bankotsu nodded. "And Onigumo has fake chips too. He's got a completely bizarre shade of tomato red. We use cherry red."

So this was how rich people spent their days, talking about the different shades of colours. Kagome almost shuddered. Next they would be saying how cotton-candy pink was different from pale pink. Who cared? It was still pink.

Sesshoumaru didn't seem very concerned with the difference between tomato and cherry red either. "I thought Naraku and Onigumo were supposed to be banned from the casino?"

"Yeah, well, they checked into one of the hotel rooms that came with free casino passes," sighed Jakotsu.

He glared at Inuyasha. "And you let them?"

"How was I supposed to know -" began Inuyasha.

"Well, evict them, _now_. Say there's a fire, flood, whatever. I want them out _now_."

"But -"

"_Now_. And Kagome, stop gaping and get back to your room, the tailor will be there in a few minutes."

Jakotsu and Bankotsu shook their heads as Sesshoumaru herded Inuyasha out of the room, before looking sympathetically at Kagome.

"Well, he's not that bad if you get on his good side…" began Jakotsu.

**End Chap 4**


	5. Feminine Products

**A/N: Thank you all for the magnificent reviews.**

**Enjoy, minna. n.n**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Feminine Products**

_In which our stars of the show are headed for… more disaster_

"So that's either lilac or red…"

Finally having dressed into a top and skirt, Kagome felt a surge of irritation as the two colour consultants, finished with strangling her with silk scarves, paced around her, trying to choose one from different colours that 'suited' her. Meanwhile a tiny, fat old tailor was busy winding long measuring tapes around her. Sesshoumaru nonchalantly worked on his laptop.

"That's _cherry_ red to you," snapped Kagome, remembering Inuyasha's and Bankotsu's comments about the casino chips being forest green and cherry red.

"Oh, perfect! What do you think, cherry red?"

"No, I'm thinking green…"

"Forest green?" asked Kagome sarcastically.

"Yes! Forest green."

Yuck, no. Kagome wasn't about to turn up in either cherry red _or_ forest green clothes.

"I know, emerald!"

"Save me," Kagome muttered under her breath.

"Try deep peach-pink, it drives men wild," the tailor whispered.

"That's quite enough from you, Myouga," Sesshoumaru interjected sharply.

"Peach-pink, eh?" The colour consultants were already doing the math in their head. "That's a bit out of date, isn't it?"

"Nonsense," snorted Myouga. "I've been making dress orders from all the ladies this season, and they're all clamouring for peach-pink."

"Then it wouldn't be unique," they objected.

"Well, blue then. Powder blue."

Closing her eyes, Kagome tried to drown out their arguing.

"I'm going for awhile," Sesshoumaru announced finally, sounding equally irritated. "Go have a coffee or something."

They were more alike than they realized - in certain ways, at least.

* * *

"Can you believe it?" groaned Kagome, flopping onto a loveseat.

"What?" With a look of perfect concern Miroku slid next to her.

"It's all your fault! You were out clubbing instead of saving me!"

"Saving you from what?"

Kagome glanced behind her shoulder to make sure no one was listening. "Sesshoumaru," she whispered.

"Him?" Miroku asked, cracking up. "What did he do?"

"Ok, first, you left early the other day."

"That was your fault; you know I can't take chlorine. I can't act as the suave manager if I'm sneezing my head away."

"Yeah, well Sesshoumaru comes in throwing a hissy fit because apparently I didn't buy clothes he wanted. So he drags me off, and makes me apologize to those bastards Naraku and Onigumo, and -"

"Wait…" Miroku looked confused. "Where do Naraku and Onigumo come in?"

"Shush. Well, then Sesshoumaru decides it's a really good idea to buy me new underwear and -"

"Hey! Give me a peek."

"No! And then he has the nerve to undress me -"

Miroku looked forlorn. "Why can't I ever get entrusted with girls? How about that, Kagome? You tell your father you'd rather have me look after you."

"No, because you're an idiot. Well, I was saying – _Miroku_!"

"Sorry," he said. While she had been talking he'd stepped up close and now his finger was twirled around the strap of her bra. Miroku whistled softly. "Sesshoumaru knows his stuff. Victoria's Secret - what's next, Agent Provocateur?"

"Hey! Don't -" Kagome paused. "How did you know that?"

"Ha, um, that," laughed Miroku nervously.

Kagome grabbed his tie and pulled him closer, glaring. "You were going through underwear catalogues," she accused. "Some things never change."

"I was not!" he protested weakly.

A soft cough interrupted them. "Sorry, do you want anything?" Sango asked, her face pink.

"Yes. I'll have something to whack Miroku with," Kagome said. "Actually, no. You sit down and relax…" she dragged Sango next to her, "and Miroku can go serve the customers. I have half an hour while His Majesty is busy meeting sorting out casino issues, and I'm not wasting it on a pervert."

* * *

"You don't go around whacking people," Sesshoumaru said. Silly girl. He'd said to go get coffee, not go kill the coffeehouse manager. "And what if your unfortunate victim sues?"

"Wow…" Kagome stared, her eyes round, as the different coloured sushi plates traveled around the sushi train. Lunch with Sesshoumaru guaranteed one thing – lots of fancy restaurants that ripped you off. "Anyways, Miroku would never sue," she declared. "He loves the attention. I could come at him with whips and manacles and instead of running away he'd get aroused."

"Your friend is…" Sesshoumaru searched for a more polite word. "_Unusual_. But it doesn't justify you whacking him with -"

"By the way," Kagome interrupted, "could you quit with all the insanely formal language?"

"You do not interrupt people when speaking. And it is incredibly rude in Japan to use casual language around people you don't know –"

"So tell me, Sesshoumaru, do you go around torturing girls you don't know? So please, drop all 'do not' and use 'don't' like all other ordinary people. Anyways when can we eat?"

Sesshoumaru resisted smirking. And this was the girl who claimed to want nothing but cheap junk food and fish and chips.

She caught his look, and glared at him. "I still think this is a complete waste of money. I'm not even hungry."

"Well, if you're not hungry, don't eat."

"Yeah, and watch you stuff your face?"

"People in Japan don't 'stuff their faces', Kagome. We will eat when my accountant and her foster child arrives. And sit properly."

Kagome straightened her back, but remained careful to snap; "And what's it to you?"

"I meant…" He kicked her ankles together from under the table. "Close your legs."

"Hey!"

"Kagura does not particularly care for etiquette, but I do not care for you giving a six-year-old girl wrong ideas with the way you sit."

"Ok, why am I here?" demanded Kagome, banging her chopsticks down. "It would be better if you'd just leave me locked up in my hotel room while you go to your fancy restaurants with the menus in curly kanji I can't read!"

"Because… I don't trust you enough to leave you to your own devices?"

A waitress set down a saucer of pickled seaweed.

"Thank you," Kagome said to her, picking up her chopsticks.

Sesshoumaru's chopsticks conveniently reached out and blocked hers from reaching for the cold dish.

"What?" asked Kagome, irritated.

"The magic word?"

"What, please? Thank you?"

"Ita…"

"Itadakimasu?" muttered Kagome.

"Douzo." His chopsticks left hers lazily.

He continued to stare unblinkingly, and Kagome watched him warily.

"What now?"

"Your chopsticks shouldn't cross each other."

"And, pray, _who_ bothers using chopsticks properly?"

"Everyone around you," he said unblinkingly. "Try it. Thumb and ring finger hold the bottom – no, we do not use the little fingers to hold chopsticks."

"But -"

"But?"

"I can't -"

"Just practice."

"Maru-kun, be nice," a slim, pretty woman chided, sliding in the booth next to Sesshoumaru. "I'm Kagura Tokugawa; good afternoon, Higurashi-san," she smiled pleasantly. "Rin, come here."

Kagome watched as a little girl tottered her way over to the seats. She clasped her hands in front of her, bowed deeply in an almost comical way, and hastened to bounce onto Sesshoumaru's lap.

"Oji-san! Jaken was mean today!"

The man smirked lightly. "Well, did you make him play with your teddy bears?"

"Yes, but -"

"Then you can't complain, can you?"

"I can't believe it," huffed Kagome. "You're obviously perfectly capable of being nice, but you seem incapable of being nice to me."

"Oh, no," Kagura said. "Sesshoumaru is mean to everyone but Rin." He glared at her for it, and she nodded. "See? Sesshoumaru Taisho: Trendsetter in fashion, poise, elegance, arrogant smirks and nasty glares."

"That about sums it up," Kagome sighed. She liked Kagura and Rin already. "So, as his accountant, does he really sign for all the stuff I buy?"

"I'd get fired for handing out personal information like that, but, yes."

"Like, in his name?"

"You know, in some cultures it is considered rude to exclude people from conversations taking place right in front of them," Sesshoumaru said.

"Yeah, you're just mad you're not in the limelight for once," snorted Kagura. "Can't you just sit quietly and play with Rin?"

Kagome couldn't resist laughing – this accountant of his made Sesshoumaru sound like a child.

"All men _are_ children," winked Kagura, as though reading her mind. "You were saying?"

"Oh, right. So I'm free to buy absolutely _anything_ I like, and it'll come off on records as him buying it? Because it's on his card?"

"Something like that, unless Inutaisho and your father have changed their minds about you being in Sesshoumaru's tender loving care. And we all know rich, successful men never change their minds, Sesshoumaru being the number one example."

"Hey, Sesshoumaru," Kagome said, beginning to smile. "Can we _please_ go shopping after lunch? I need some… girl stuff."

Somehow, he didn't like the sound of it too much.

* * *

He could be working, asking some all-too-willing girl out for dinner, or even just telling off someone.

Anything but this.

As Rin skipped ahead with Kagome down the aisles of the huge department store, with Kagura laughing uncontrollably behind them, he wondered if there were a chance Kagome's friend Miroku were willing to take over the girl for him.

"What do you think, Rin?" Kagome asked, holding out a tube of sparkling lip gloss.

Who would have thought it would take her eighteen whole years to buy her first makeup products, and just to get back at a jerk, too.

"Rin would like some too," the girl said solemnly.

"You're not allowed, dear," Kagura said. "Go buy chocolate instead."

"Oh, chocolate…"

Kagome approached them with the shopping cart. "Here, Tokugawa-san -"

"It's Kagura."

"Alright. Kagura, do you think you could help me grab some stuff off the shelf while I help Rin?"

"A pleasure," she said.

"Come on, Rin-chan." Kagome walked her over the chocolate aisle. "So what will we be having, Swiss or Belgian chocolate?"

"Kagura!" hissed Sesshoumaru the moment the two were out of sight.

"What?" she asked with practiced innocence.

"You sign for all this."

"Your charge," she said, jabbing a finger at his chest, "is smarter than you give her credit for. Who would have thought that she'd figure it out?"

"Figure what out?" he growled.

"Ever seen Inuyasha's credit card bills? It's chockfull of designer clothes and accessories for men _and_ women, expensive ladies' underwear, flowers and jewelry. All men buy the women they're trying to woo expensive things. But not _personal_ things. Like this." She handed him a fizzy bath bomb shaped like a flower along with a pot of lip balm, before dropping the things into a trolley. "They'll wonder why you're getting it for yourself, which is a highly questionable act.

"Not to mention," she added, "you should be happy she's actually _buying_ all this stuff of her own free will."

Sesshoumaru hissed quietly. "You mean to make sure my card bills embarrass me?"

"True, but – oh, Rin-chan, you don't need so many chocolates!"

"I'm sure it's alright," Kagome said. "Oh, and -"

She dumped three packs of sanitary pads and a box of tampons in the cart for good measure.

Wonderful. Just marvelous. Sesshoumaru could already envision the smirk on Inuyasha's face.

Chocolates, bath bombs, makeup, and pads? For god's sake, he was going to look like he was PMSing or something.

**End Chap 5**


	6. Party Animals

**Chapter 6: Party Animals **

_In which the characters _don't_ get stoned_

"Watch that dealer on table fourteen, not Sesshoumaru," Bankotsu said, directing Jakotsu's attention back to the casino tables.

"Kagome so owned Sesshoumaru," Jakotsu laughed. "Inuyasha told me."

"Yeah… stop staring at him," hissed Bankotsu.

"Jeez. Just watch him move through the crowd. The epitome of grace and -"

"Excuse me," a tiny old man said. "Where's the toilet?"

"Um, second door to the left, right on the corridor behind -" Jakotsu turned around, pointing, before freezing. Sesshoumaru stood behind them.

The old man scuttled off.

"Get back to the video room," Sesshoumaru snapped, glaring at them.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"And it never occurred to the guy to pay _cash_," Kagome wailed, before bursting into giggles again.

"You are just evil, girl," Miroku said, shaking his head.

Sango and Inuyasha seemed too busy laughing to reply.

"Sesshoumaru doesn't carry cash, just about fifty credit cards," Inuyasha said, recovering, though still red in the face.

"Hey Kagome, come clubbing with us tonight," Miroku said.

"You think he'll _let_ me?" After the whole shopping adventure, Kagome wasn't sure if he'd let her do anything by herself anymore. She wasn't even let her use the bathroom by herself anymore.

"Ask him," Inuyasha said.

"He'll say no. Especially if he knows I'd love to go."

"Come on, he can't be that bad," Miroku said. "I mean, he has the entire female population in Japan in love with him. And some men, even."

"Beauty is skin-deep," retorted Kagome. "And in Sesshoumaru's case I'd say it doesn't even reach past the hairs on his skin."

"Ok, here's how you do it," Sango said. "You, I'm sorry to say, are a pretty crazy woman. There are girls willing to pay through their noses for half the looks and body you have so they can flaunt it. And you cover it up. Now, considering it's Sesshoumaru's job to turn you into a decently feminine lady, if you show improvement, he's sure to come round."

"Not to mention, you've only got two months here," Miroku added. "Why torture yourself? Just enjoy it."

"Show improvement?" Kagome asked, grimacing.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

He paused in the doorway of his room, watching Kagura and Yura smirking in the living room warily.

"Care to share what you're giggling about?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all," laughed Kagura. "Right, Yura?"

"Right," the woman said, snorting with laughter.

"Fine, so care to tell me why you're having your nails done in my room?" Sesshoumaru asked in mild irritation.

"It's convenient," shrugged Kagura. "If you don't like it, you can go hang out in one of your twenty other houses."

"So when do I get to do your hair again, Sesshoumaru?" Yura asked.

He threw open a window to let out the scent of formaldehyde and acetone. "Never, sounds good to me."

Kagura blew on a fingernail gently. "While you're near the bar can you get me a drink? Please?"

"I should be going," Yura said, recapping a nail polish bottle. "Watch that top coat and don't smudge it."

"Yeah. See you around tomorrow, thanks for the manicure."

Yura sauntered out, before stopping just before the door and peering over her shoulder.

"Oh, by the way, Sesshoumaru, hot water bottles and pain-killers are great for cramps."

"Yura!" exclaimed Kagura, eyes wide, expression shocked, but lips grinning away.

"Sorry, couldn't resist the dig," Yura laughed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"You sure about this?" she asked, her eyes shut and her nose wrinkled.

"Absolutely," Sango murmured, brushing blue mascara onto Kagome's eyelashes. "Now what you do is, go up to Sesshoumaru, and act all innocent and nice-like, and ask if you can come to the clubs with us."

"And my clothes? I don't own suitable clothes, just lots of ridiculously uptight styled suits or -"

"Sweatshirts and sweatpants," she finished off. "What _did_ you wear before, when you went out?"

"Yeah, um, me, going out? Recently, there was an underage person over here…"

"Oh, true. Well, you can borrow something off me."

"You live here?"

"Yup, in the service apartments."

"I didn't know we could do that. Say, do you think I could move in with you?"

"Why not? Just ask Miroku, and I'm positive he'll say yes -"

Kagome jumped, eyes wide open. "WHAT?"

"Hmm? Eck, you just ruined the lip gloss." Sango set to work reapplying it.

"You live with the pervert?"

She shrugged. "I thought he told you."

"Oh, that bastard _never_ tells me anything! But… oh my god… this is so great… Miroku's a really great guy."

"Great? As in, greatly perverted? Anyways, I have him under control, thanks to my karate lessons."

"Karate lessons? Do you hit hard?"

"Ask the pervert," giggled Sango.

"Now, I tell you, you two are perfect together…" sighed Kagome dreamily.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"I can't believe you didn't tell me you were going out," Kagome grumbled.

Miroku ushered her into the elevator. "I thought you knew. Hello, it's Sango… from fifth grade?"

"Liar. That Sango moved to Korea."

"And moved back to Japan, you silly little girl."

"Really?" Kagome asked Sango.

Sango stared. "You're the Kagome from fifth grade? You're different…"

"I know, it was the end of my emancipated years."

"I know! You're like… not skinny anymore…"

"Neither are you, no wonder I couldn't recognize you! Since when did you grow your hair out?"

"The pageboy style really didn't suit with this cute guy I met in Korea while he toured Seoul…"

Miroku looked vaguely affronted. "Now, Sango, that cut made you look even uglier than your brother, Kohaku…"

"What? You met years ago and Miroku never told me?"

He looked vaguely ashamed. "Hey, I -"

"What's this about me looking worse than Kohaku?" Sango asked softly, eyes glinting.

Kagome rolled her eyes and winked at Sango. "Miroku! I tell you, you have explaining to do…"

"What, Kagome?" he asked innocently. "By the way, I like your outfit."

"Shut up and don't change the subject," snorted Kagome, as Sango bopped him on the head.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"You have visitors," Kagura said, hearing voices and footsteps in the hall.

He opened the door.

"Hey, Sesshoumaru?" asked Kagome, smiling nervously.

"Yeah?"

"Um, can we come in?"

"We?" he repeated.

"Well," Kagome glanced at the corridor. "There's Sango and Miroku hiding behind the corner and Inuyasha's waiting downstairs."

_Kids_.

"Hold on…" He closed the door and looked behind him exasperatedly at Kagura, who had decided to invite herself in. "For heaven's sake stop drinking and sit up." Sesshoumaru grabbed the bottle of tequila from Kagura.

"What the heck? This is my weekly get-drunk night!"

"Yeah. You are not drinking in front of little children, and you are _not_ doing it in my room."

"_Little children_? And I never do it in your room."

"Kagome and her childhood friends and Inuyasha want to come in. And I caught you sneaking out of here last week."

"What? I was in your apartment last week…"

"No, that was the week before last."

Kagura frowned quizzically. "Wait… what's wrong with them coming in here?"

He stopped himself rolling his eyes and went to open the door.

"Told you it's not working!" he heard Kagome hiss across the hall.

"What is it you want?" he asked.

She jumped. "Oh. Well, Miroku thought it was it was a good idea to go… Yeah, see, Inuyasha said that… Yup, yeah, so it's like that."

"_What_?"

Kagura popped out from behind him. "I bet you want to go clubbing."

"Huh? How'd you know?" stared Kagome.

"Hold on, give me two seconds with Sesshoumaru, and I'll guaranteed he'll let you go," Kagura said, closing the door.

"You have to take them," Kagura told him sharply.

"And… why?"

"Because you're getting in the way of my weekly drink night!"

"Yeah, be careful, you might become an alcoholic."

"Jeez, look who keeps tequila bottles under his bed."

"Fine. I'll take them clubbing. On one condition."

"Deal. What?"

"You get out of my room and stop stealing the tequila."

"Gosh, you _are_ PMSing. Ok, ok, anything else?"

He thought for a moment. "Where's my shirt you spilt wine on and took it for dry-cleaning?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Eck. He was suck with _children _for the rest of his lovely previously un-spoilt evening._

And now they were trying to skive drinks off the bartender.

"Um, martini."

"Champagne."

"No duh, beer!"

"Martini for me too.. no olive," Kagome said.

The bartender looked at Sesshoumaru.

"It's apple juice for the girl with the martini with no olive, and milk for the wannabe cool guy who ordered beer," Sesshoumaru corrected.

"WHAT?" yelled Kagome and Inuyasha.

"You two are underage," he said nonchalantly.

"Damn it! Why did _he_ have to be my bloody chaperone?" cried Kagome, slamming her head onto the countertop.


	7. Tequila, Trains and Tokens

**A/N: Ha. Ok. Here's the chapter. Thanks reviewers. Now… go read. XD**

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -**

**Chapter 7: Tequila, Trains and Tokens**

_In which tequila is consumed, and trains are mentioned. And casino games are played. Duh._

A girl slid in next to Inuyasha, grinning seductively. "Hello, you. What're you having?"

"Oh, just a couple of beers," he said, as nonchalantly as he could.

The bartender came back. "Refill of… milk, sir."

"Ok Sesshoumaru, happy now, you dipshit?" swore Inuyasha, as the girl sent him a weird look and slinked off, her nose in the air.

"You can curse, but it doesn't change the fact that you're underage and I happen to be responsible for you," Sesshoumaru stated.

"Dad wouldn't care," Kagome complained. "I thought he was trying to get me to drink like some sophisticate in the first place."

"You're telling me that a drunken idiot who stumbles from a nightclub at three in the morning is in any way sophisticated?"

"Whatever, I'm joining Sango and Miroku on the dance floor. You go sit by yourself having 'fun'," she snorted.

As if he could ever have fun in the noise and heat of the place. Already, two girls were starting to make their way towards him. They looked vaguely familiar...

"Hi, Sesshoumaru-sama!" they sang, before cornering him in his seat. "Remember us?"

Um... the two girls from last week? Or last month?

Another passing girl saved him. "Oi, Yaeko, Sawako! Quit hogging the hot guys for yourselves!"

Oh Yaeko and Sawako... _those_ girls.

Well, since he was already at the club... might as well _try_ to have fun.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

For almost the first time since she'd landed in Japan, Kagome was actually having fun. The band was good, changing between upbeat and slow songs well.

First she'd danced with Sango and Inuyasha. Then some goof had requested the Macarena, to which everyone grumbled and cursed and danced anyways. Then some slow song came on, and a random guy grabbed her and twirled her around. Another fast song had a few weird guys break dancing and pretending to strip.

As the band slowed its beat to a slow one, Kagome found herself face-to-face with Miroku.

"I suggest," he said, grinning over her shoulder as he guided her towards the edge of the crowd, "you ask your good friend Sesshoumaru to dance."

"Let me see," giggled Kagome, and he obligingly spun her around. Almost ten girls were clustered around a head of soft silver. "What's wrong with that? He doesn't look like he needs rescuing." In fact, she mused, he looks like he's... _flirting_?

"Well, he'll end up sleeping with all of them, see if he doesn't."

"Really," snorted Kagome. "I'd think Sesshoumaru's so rude he's celibate."

"On the contrary."

"Really?" Kagome glanced at Inuyasha with some tall, fishnet-clad woman. "I would think Inuyasha's the promiscuous one."

Miroku laughed. "Naiveté, Kagome. Inuyasha gets a new woman every two months or so, besides his on-off girlfriend, Kikyou. You'll hear about her soon enough, I suppose. But Sesshoumaru has a track record."

"Hn," was all she said, glancing at the silver head and its adoring women.

But as the song ended she hugged Miroku and made her way towards Sesshoumaru.

He peered at her – almost agreeably, she noticed – as she appeared at the table. Maybe Miroku was right; after all, Sesshoumaru was even looking half-gracious in the company of so many pretty women.

"Can I get you something, Kagome, dear?"

She ignored his cynical politeness. "Will you dance?"

He arched an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Is she your girlfriend? You have a girlfriend?" wailed one of the girls. The rest of the ladies burst out in gales of laughter.

"This is my charge, Kagome," he corrected.

"Oh, _do_ go dance, Sesshoumaru-kun," called one of the girls. "Take it as a small warm-up for us tonight."

"Have I ever needed warming up?" he enquired to even more giggles, before following Kagome to the dance floor.

"Do you even _know_ these women?" Kagome asked, as he guided her in unhurried twirls to the measured music.

"More or less."

"I meant, did you sleep with some of them? You seem to know them quite well."

He grinned, a subtle mix of seductiveness and a smirk. "I meant I've slept with all of them."

"No way!"

His eyes narrowed, glinting. "Are you saying you want to bet with me on this?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kagome rapped on the door impatiently.

"Yes?" yawned Kagura, opening it.

"Is Sesshoumaru here?"

"Of course not, this is my get-drunk night. As you probably already know, Sesshoumaru kindly gives me permission to vandalize his room on get-drunk nights." Lying blandly, she gestured to the tequila bottle she clutched and the ruined hotel room behind her. "Why?"

"I think he's just picked up a random girl and gone off to sleep with her."

"From the club you just were at?"

"I think?"

"Nah. I think half the girls that go there must be Sesshoumaru's college alumni... the rest spoiled brats who don't need college educations to have money. Either way, I doubt they're random girls."

"And he's so special he gets to sleep with anyone at anytime?"

Kagura cocked her head slightly. 'Something like that. Don't worry, for the rest of us, we drink alcohol. In moderation," she added with an afterthought. "Why don't you join me?"

"What if Sesshoumaru gets back?" Kagome asked nervously.

"Who cares? Either way, he's probably at one of his apartments and will be there for quite awhile, don't you think?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kagome cracked one eye open to the angry ringing of a cell phone, looking at the clock on the bedside table.

11:06 am? She groaned, making a mental note not to ever join Kagura for drinks again. Heaving herself off the bed, she found Kagura sprawled out on the couch in the living area, sleeping. She prodded her.

"Kagura, your phone's ringing."

The woman stirred slightly. "Fuck that…" she mumbled. Cursing a bit more, she grinned at Kagome. "Like my weekly get-drunk nights?"

"You're a complete alcoholic," Kagome told her.

"Yeah… god, would that phone stop ringing?" She picked it up in annoyance. "Good morning. Oh, the stocks went up again? If they go up some more tomorrow, sell them and buy some more shares in silver."

Kagome stared. This was someone who could wake up from a lot of tequila drinking, and be barking orders worth many tens of thousands thirty seconds later.

"What're you looking at? I'm sure you've got a day ahead of you," Kagura said.

"Oh, right." They set to work gathering up their belongings and trash; Kagura peeked under the bed and grabbed one extra bottle of tequila with her.

"Room service can clean the rest," Kagura said, opening the door and casting one last look around. "Come on, you should go back to your room and have a shower."

They snuck down the corridor as if being watched. "Doesn't Sesshoumaru mind?" whispered the younger girl.

"Ok, truthfully?" Kagome nodded. "I bet he does. But it's not like he can do anything about it except – Oh, hi Sesshoumaru!" sang Kagura, sounding highly guilty.

He looked somewhat less neat than usual, but still good enough to pose for the front covers of any magazine. "I can't do anything about you stealing my tequila except what?" Narrowed gold eyes looked at her questioningly.

"Um… except to… bitchatusandletusdowhatwewantbecausewe'regirls. Yeah. Ok. Kagome, let's run now."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The tailor rushed around this busily; tired, she let him do whatever he wanted. Then again, they were in Sesshoumaru's office and although he looked busy, he was watching her closely.

"You are going to look wonderful," promised Myouga, measuring tape and fifty pins in his mouth as he pinned formal gloves to the right size for her hands.

"I _need_ gloves? They'll make me look like I'm from a hundred years ago," Kagome sighed. "Not that it matters, of course," she followed quickly, "all formal clothes are nasty."

"Oh, the gloves are for the morning ceremony only."

"White gloves, though? Isn't that for the bride?"

"It's only a renewal of vows, Izayoi won't be wearing white."

"Yeah. It's a bit awkward to be wearing virginal white when you have a near-grown son, huh," she laughed.

"Oh, Inuyasha was born out of wedlock anyways. And Izayoi got married in ivory, not white; I should know I designed the dress myself…"

"Myouga," Sesshoumaru said warningly from his desk.

"Sorry. Anyways, Kagome, we'll sew stuff on your glove, don't worry."

"It's not like I'm worrying," she insisted. Kagome Higurashi just did _not_ worry about fashion stuff. "I mean, it's not like I'll be doing anything but sit in the audience and -"

"Really?" Myouga frowned. "You're guest of honor for the evening reception, so I'm guessing you get to walk down the aisle in the ceremony too. The florist even called us up to ask about your dress so they could colour-coordinate the bouquets and corsages for you."

"I'm guest of honor in the evening?"

"Don't worry; I have an exquisite evening dress ready -"

"Sesshoumaru! You somehow failed to _mention_ this!" stormed Kagome, not paying attention to Myouga.

"I assume my father put you in the ceremony somewhere. _I_ didn't know, or I would certainly have brushed you up on your walking skills," he shot back.

"Don't lie, _you're_ the one organizing it, you – what do you mean, my walking skills? What's wrong with my walking?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Wait, so what I am supposed to do, this walking thing?" asked Kagome nervously. They'd argued for a good ten minutes before Myouga 'accidentally' jabbed her arm with a pin.

"Walk down the aisle, obviously" Sesshoumaru stated blandly.

"Yeah, but like… do I need to scatter flower petals from a basket as I walk, or something? Or hold a train? Or…"

"No trains, it's not a wedding," Myouga interjected, "but you might have to worry about your own skirt. The skirts do trail along the floor slightly."

She looked like she was about to strangle Sesshoumaru, before realizing he was probably the one who could tell her what she needed to know and save her from complete social embarrassment.

"You get shoes to match, too," offered Myouga, trying to break the silence.

Kagome looked like she could strangle him at the moment as well.

"So, when's this renewal of vows thing?"

Sesshoumaru looked, for the first time, vaguely weary. "In three days."

She started. "Isn't that awfully near? Won't you need to do lots of last-minute preparations, and -"

"I would get them done if you would just be quiet."

"Oh." Myouga was putting a long skirt on her now. "What's that for?"

"Walking practice."

"Oh."

The top of the skirt was too tight. The hem was too flowing – more often than not she tripped over it. Finally, when she made it up and down the length of Sesshoumaru's office twice other missing a step, and pivoting without falling over, Myouga pronounced her perfect for aisle-walking.

Sesshoumaru-sama was less kind. "Now you can practice in heels."

And as Kagome she wobbled around on what felt like two tall needles and nothing else, she cursed and swore at the idiot who ever invented stiletto heels.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

By the time her walking was 'adequate', she was about ready to sleep with exhaustion. There was already a hot spot on the back of her heel and if wasn't careful Kagome would find herself with a blister.

Of course, no rest for the weary – she'd thought after spending the better part of the day strutting around until she could walk better than any runway model could, she would be free to go.

But the slave driver only pushed her off to dinner, where he informed her on no uncertain terms was she leaving until she had mastered proper chopstick use. As a matter of fact, he wouldn't let her take a bite out of anything that hadn't been _perfectly lifted_ with _uncrossed_ chopsticks, that wasn't _stabbed at_ with the ends, or, god forbid, _dropped_ on its way to her mouth.

For sure, last night's tequila and her tiredness quelled all argumentative spirit. Kagome went from wailing at each failed attempt to simply mumbling about getting saved.

"I can't do this."

"You have to."

She waved her chopsticks around. "It's pointless."

"I assure you, it is not. And stop waving your chopsticks, it's rude."

"No one's going to stare at me eating, it's rude to anyways, isn't it?"

"If you're guest of honor, you'll be seated up the front and the entire guest list plus the staff will see you eating. How embarrassing if you can't even hold chopsticks properly."

"Who cares… it's not like anyone in the audience even knows who I am…"

"For once you should trust me when I say, they _do_ know."

"No, they don't. I'll bet on it."

"If I bet with you on this, it would be a win so easy it borders on the point of pathetic."

"Ha. Ha." Cynical laughter.

After what seemed like forever and a lifetime, Sesshoumaru gave her a cup of sake and told her to go to bed. And she crawled off without argument.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The next day, Inuyasha appeared at her hotel door.

"No Sesshoumaru today?" she remarked, letting him in.

"He's busy today and tomorrow with the renewal preparations. I get to bring you around."

"Ah. Like, bring me around as in, show me places, or do what Sesshoumaru has planned already?"

Inuyasha blushed. "The latter."

She shrugged and smiled at him. "Well, what's planned?"

"Today? The usual, I guess… hair, um, those girly sort of stuff…" He blushed even more.

Understandably, Sesshoumaru was the only male Kagome knew who could tell a girl she needed a pedicure and eyebrow wax without any hesitation. Inuyasha? She wasn't even sure if he knew what eyebrow waxes did. Wait – come to think of it, neither did she.

Well, she would spare Inuyasha. "Why don't we just hang out at the casino today?"

"Great idea," he said, sighing in relief as he ushered her out the room.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"What? They invited the Korean Ambassador to the ceremony!" Kagura flipped over the guest list. "I thought -"

"I thought it was a random Chinese diplomat?"

"No! Sessh, sometimes I think your dad's out to kill me. Remember the time I camped out on your floor and he opened the door on my arm and stepped on me? We didn't organize security!"

He looked indifferent. "Why do we even need security?"

"In case anything happens! Like, assassins or -"

"Assassins? Now I'm convinced you're taking cocaine."

"No, seriously! Where's Bankotsu and Jakotsu? Aren't they security heads or something? Oh, and Yura called asking what time you want her to do Kagome's hair? And she asked if you wanted yours braided especially or anything."

"What – no. You arrange things with Yura, I'll get Bankotsu and Jakotsu."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Five! Five!"

"YES FIVE!"

"Ah, damned craps," swore Inuyasha.

"Craps table?" snorted a pretty woman passing by. "Inuyasha, you never strike lucky _here_. Wait – you never strike lucky anywhere."

"Oh, hello Kikyou." Inuyasha looked both happy and unhappy to see her.

"Hello to you too. And who's this?" She turned to Kagome with an unreadable smile.

"Oh, I'm Kagome. Kagome Higurashi."

They shook hands carefully. "Kikyou Uchida. So you're the Higurashi girl come here for special treatment?"

"Word gets around fast, huh," commented Inuyasha.

"Yes, just like how you dumped me because a magazine said I was having an affair with your brother? I was not!" snapped Kikyou.

"Yes, but you did after that."

She snorted. "That's besides the point! Oh, and Kagome, about the rumors? Nothing personal, it's just that any girl that manages to take up more than a night of Sesshoumaru's time will be talked about."

"So what _do_ they say?" Kagome asked curiously.

"The usual." Kikyou shrugged. "Sex… the lot. They're all jealous, you know."

She giggled. "He's bedded them. Not me. What's to be jealous about?"

"I don't know. _I'm _not jealous, I have a bigger bust than you."

"Yes, Kikyou, you remind us every day," sighed Bankotsu. "Hey Kagome, aren't you meant to be doing something other than bumming around the casino?"

"Yes, but I can't be bothered."

Kikyou looked puzzled. "You'd rather gamble than get a makeover?"

"Something like that."

"Oh my god. Wait till I tell the girls! After this, _no_ one will even think you're anywhere between Sesshoumaru's sheets!"

"Thank you for the compliment?" Kagome looked confused, before shrugging and returning to the game.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


	8. The Renewal of Vows

**A/N: Hello, darlings.**

**Sorry I haven't updated for a couple of years.. haha, ^__^; I really had a lot going on, but I hope I'll be able to update plenty now! If you get the chance do read over all the chapters, I had to myself to get a feel for the plot! XD  
**

**Chapter 8: The Renewal of Vows**

_Wherein vows are renewed._

"God!" she squealed as a most sulky, unrelenting woman scrubbed mercilessly at her foot in piping hot water. "I know you're still mad at me for playing at the casino with the guys instead of getting all beautified, but really? _This?_" Another sour-looking girl buffed her fingernails.

"Hm?" He barely glanced at her, looking perfectly undisturbed.

"I've got mud on my face and wax in my hair!"

"Hn."

"_Sesshoumaru_!"

"Be quiet."

"It was only a _small _game!"

"A _small_ game?" He advanced on her menacingly. "Six rounds of craps, countless roulette spins and then _strip poker_ with the 'guys'?"

"I was winning!"

"You were in your underwear when I found you."

She giggled. "I stripped Inuyasha."

"I assure you there was nothing you needed to see."

"Don't be a prude, aren't you the one that sleeps around?"

He found himself close to the end of his patience with her. "I certainly don't do strip poker," he informed her firmly.

"Shame," she snorted. "You could make a fortune selling one single nude picture of yourself, you know?"

"Thank you, but no thank you."

"Hey, how come you've seen me naked and I haven't seen you naked?"

"Because you don't listen to me telling you things and because you haven't slept with me."

She rolled her eyes. Like she would want to sleep with him anyway, he really was getting on her nerves. She had been about to win, and then Sesshoumaru had shown up to drag her away to do god knows what with her beauty regime. "Hey, by the way, do you use protection? It's really dangerous to sleep around and -"

"You will shut up now."

"Because if you don't you should get regular tests for STDs and -"

"I meant _now_, Kagome."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"I meant _now,_ Kagome."

She mumbled something about five more minutes, rolling under the bedcovers a bit more. It was too early, it was too bright...

As usual Sesshoumaru took no notice and before she knew it she was lifted from the bed and plonked straight into the bath, not a particularly charming way to wake up.

"Yura and Myouga are here," Sesshoumaru said. "They'll help you get ready, and you can sit around nicely or practice your manners until I come and collect you, ok?"

Oh right, today was the renewal of vows day.

Simultaneously, she panicked.

"Don't worry," Yura reassured her after he'd gone. "We'll tell you what to do."

"You'll be fine," nodded Myouga. "Have you seen your dresses?"

"No, I won't," Kagome said numbly, "I still haven't mastered the use of chopsticks, and I'll fall over in heels…"

She didn't care. Really, she didn't. If she hadn't learned anything it was the stupid Sesshoumaru's fault because he was such an unreasonable person and – crap, she really did care. She had no right to behave ungraciously, and if she screwed up she'd be sent back to America with her dad and he'd be embarrassed… And it wasn't as if Sesshoumaru hadn't tried, it was just that his way was so disagreeable, and it would be fault now, and -

Now Yura was running a comb viciously through her hair with one hand, the other waving a curling tong dangerously close to her face. Myouga bustled over, careful to keep the dress he held from sweeping the carpet, though his height made that somewhat difficult. He pulled the plastic cover off it and spread it on the bed.

"What do you think?"

Kagome peered through the veil of hair covering her face at the moment and caught a glimpse of something shimmery. Otherwise she could see nothing as Yura kept tugging on various strands of her hair. "Er… it's nice."

"You can't even see it," scoffed Myouga. "But you'll look nice. I promise."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The guests for the morning ceremony were slowly arriving in a long stream of limousines carrying the richest and most illustrious members of society. The event was generating its fair share of international attention as well, as famous international icons had been invited as personal friends, while the expertise of many a famous French couturier had been called upon to dress the attendees. An army of reporters waited, poised with cameras ready to snap.

Jakotsu surveyed the crowd. "I heard the Korean ambassador was coming. And the Crown Princess of Japan."

Bankotsu nodded absentmindedly. "Yeah… just our luck being on the security detail today. We could be checking out all the eligible ladies, you know?"

"Yeah, in those mafia black sunglasses you're wearing? Take them off, you look ridiculous."

"Hey!" said Bankotsu, "it's not like your stupid agent-style earpiece is any better."

"Boys, no arguing," Kagura said silkily, sailing past them on the arm of a very young, but very cute and famous actor. She was dressed in a very chic off-shoulder gown, and looked amused at their black security tuxedos.

"How come she's invited as a guest and we're not?" grumbled Bankotsu.

"Because she's related, and because you're on _duty_," Jakotsu reminded him. "Besides, we're in charge, so I'm cool with being on duty."

"In charge, yeah, only because everyone else important like Sesshoumaru or Kagura are attending. Sort of like putting Cinderella in charge of the house but only because the stepsisters are at the ball…"

Jakotsu snorted. "That's dumb… you read too many Western fairy tales. Oh, and your bow tie's crooked."

The other man blushed and readjusted his clothing. "So, what's the schedule again?"

"You're supposed to _know_ what's going on… ok, guests seated by ten, very important guests by ten-fifteen; processional begins at ten-thirty sharp and we're in charge of, er, guarding the ballroom doors I guess. Oh, and all reporters and gatecrashers are to be sent away quietly but efficiently. Seeing as Kagura's arrived here already I doubt she's doing last-minute organization but I suppose between her and Sesshoumaru nothing can possibly need last-minute organizing, it's like –"

"Ok, you can shut up now, Jakotsu," sighed Bankotsu, "I was just trying to make conversation, you know."

Jakotsu didn't look upset. "Is that the Minister of Finance arriving over there? Look at that body his bodyguard has!"

"Well, tell his bodyguards they can't come in and we'll handle the security from here –"

"Man, the is the biggest social event of the year and of all days to be stuck _working_…" Jakotsu sighed, looking longingly at the bodyguard's retreating back.

"Bankotsu, you do realize you're being paid more overtime per hour than most people earn a month, right?"

Jakotsu shrugged. "Yeah, money's good, but money's not everything…"

Bankotsu ignored him resolutely.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"So how come _you _get to stand one place closer to the front than I do?" asked Inuyasha in annoyance. He had actually set an alarm clock last night, but being unused to getting up before twelve noon he was slightly fidgety. They were lined up at the front of the ceremony hall, watching the guests trickle in.

"Well, I'm older," Sesshoumaru reminded him coolly, staring with distaste at his younger brother's crooked collar. And Inuyasha had forgotten his cuff links as well, being predictably untidy about his appearance.

"Yeah, but you'd think that since it's my mother who is involved today, I'd have some precedence for once."

"Oh, really?" It was hard to tell what Sesshoumaru was laying on more thickly, the sneer or the sarcasm. "Sorry, Inuyasha, it's first-born, legal heirs first."

"Oh, stop it, you two," their father said. "People are coming in."

"My tux is choking me," Inuyasha complained. "And what's up with all these yellow roses, I think I'm allergic."

"Champagne roses, Inuyasha, not yellow."

"What an eye for detail!" Inuyasha said scornfully.

"Yes, but seeing as your mother chose the color theme so I really wouldn't be criticizing it now, would I?" asked Sesshoumaru matter-of-factly.

More people were filing into the ballroom – the string quartet in the background played quietly and the level of chatter rose incrementally.

"Who am I supposed to escort out again?" Inuyasha whispered.

"This isn't a wedding, you idiot. No bridesmaids. Just be a gentleman and escort the most prominent single lady out as we're all leaving. Who would be… Kaede Minegawa. She sits at the closest seat on the left aisle towards the center."

"What, that old lady?" Inuyasha looked like he'd just lost the lottery.

"Yes, that old lady, who incidentally is worth more money that you will ever be able to make in your life." Kaede Minegawa was a very old family friend, a former archery champion who had set up a chain of archery schools around the world. Her late husband had been the president of an automobile company, and she still held many of its shares.

"So wait, first it's Dad and Mom leaving, then it's you and Kagome, then me and the blind old lady?!"

"Deal with it, Inuyasha..."

"And how you're escorting Kagome out? Hey, why don't we swap, since Kaede Minegawa is so rich anyways, you'll be better off with her." He looked pleased with his reasoning - after all, the older son being more important, would naturally escort the more important woman. "How about that, Sesshoumaru?"

"Because Kagome Higurashi is worth more," Sesshoumaru stated blandly. "In terms of inheritance, that is."

"You lie."

"Indeed not, little brother."

Then opening bars of Pachelbel's Canon in D sounded – then the double doors opened.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The doors to the ceremony hall opened slowly. About two hundred pairs of eyes, all used to seeing beauty and not much else, turned and focused…

On her. She could almost hear the twittering of the ladies. Yes, she was an upstart uneducated unpolished girl from America, and yes, she was had been practically naked with Sugimi Taisho's two sons before so why not go ahead and say she was sleeping with them anyways.

Kagome breathed deeply. Izayoi was beside her, and a distinguished elderly lady named Kaede was on the other side of Izayoi. The three of them walked together towards the front, hardly conventional, but then again nothing about her stay here so far had been conventional. And who was she to criticize Japanese customs anyway? She was more concerned about not missing a step and tripping the three of them in an embarrassing display that would no doubt make the news on CNN.

Head up. Back straight. Eyes ahead. Hips relaxed. Shoulders back. Feet straight.

She was laced in a heavy silk strapless creation, the cream-colored dress carefully cinched with a pale gold organza ribbon around her waist. The skirt flared gracefully, shimmering from cream to gold as the reached the ground. But the miracle of miracles were the shoes. However pretty and jeweled they were, it was a miracle that she was still standing in those four-inch weapons...

Kagome thought she saw Miroku and Sango somewhere in the crowd but didn't dare look for fear of losing concentration.

Gliding forward, she tried not to be dazzled by the hall. Golden sunlight streamed through large windows at the sides of the hall, framed by rich gold curtains. There was an extravagant amount of golden roses for floral arrangements. Then there was the sparkle from the guests – an indescribable amount of gold and diamonds twinkled in the aisles. And all the gold just twirled around the silver hair of the three Taishou men at the very front, and all of a sudden from some angles she thought Sesshoumaru had gone blond, which was very funny but also very wrong…

She was going to laugh. Oh, god, she was going to laugh.

Then all of a sudden a small spark of gold reflected in familiar golden eyes loomed up in front of her. She had made it to the front, thank god! Relief washed over her and she smiled graciously at Sesshoumaru as she took his arm and he guided her to her seat. Kaede and Inuyasha followed, and she grinned at the odd pairing, leaving Izayoi with her husband.

Sesshoumaru nodded at her imperceptibly, his hair thankfully not blond but an unmistakable silver from close up. Out of sheer relief she sank into her designated seat on the right, far more gracefully than she probably could ever have managed under less stressful conditions.

Kagome even remembered to sit with legs together, ankles tucked slightly under, hands resting lightly and elegantly on her lap. Perhaps she had practiced this a thousand times too many over the past week.

Izayoi was beautiful, but Kagome hardly noticed what was going on. At any rate, the ceremony was being held in some form of formal, almost archaic Japanese and she could hardly pick up what was being said most of the time. It was almost as if she'd barely sat down safely for two seconds, but now the happy renewed couple was leaving down the aisle, and Sesshoumaru was waiting for her to get up. The ceremonials were over.

Kagome mumbled a curse. Rising, she gripped his proffered arm like a starving child reaching for chocolate. She could feel the fiery eyes of more than one woman in the room on them.

And her feet were already killing. She wasn't sure if she was up to doing much more than limping back down the aisle, but from what she could hear behind her other people were rising too, and slowly leaving behind them. At any rate, she couldn't slow down any further.

Outside, he was taking her around the reception hall at a leisurely but still excruciating pace, introducing her to people. God, she had to say something intelligent now.

So she greeted the Crown Princess of Japan, thanking god Japanese people didn't curtsey because she wasn't sure if she could have done it without falling face-first. Most people in the room were making beelines straight for them. Admittedly the ladies had ulterior motives in speaking to Sesshoumaru Taisho but on the whole they were interested in the finding out everything about her, Kagome Higurashi, from her Japanese language abilities to how handsome her father was.

The president of some company that sold toothpaste was trying out his English skills on her. "So… Miss Higurashi, which that you prefer, is the Japanese life or the American life?"

She bit back a grin. "I'm not sure… I mean, I haven't really been around here much -"

"Oh, so Miss Higurashi means she prefers Japan, but as her father is in America right now she would rather be there, right?" Mr. Toothpaste Executive looked quite pleased with his interpretation of the very rapid English Kagome had fired at him.

"Actually, not really, I -"

Sesshoumaru quickly interjected before she said anything too damning. "And how is your wife, Mr. Matsuda?"

"The same, the same… Oi, you!" He beckoned over a bony old hag wearing a stern navy blue kimono. "This is my wife."

"Urasue Matsuda," she croaked through astringent lips. "I used to be a model in my day."

"Pleased to meet you." Kagome wasn't sure whether or not to shake the skeletal hands or not.

"You're very pretty," Urasue said. "You look like my dead daughter."

"I beg your pardon?" Kagome smiled politely. This wasn't exactly first-introduction material.

"Urasue Matsuda!" cried another old man from the other side of the room, rushing over. "I used to be a huge fan! Can I have an autograph?"

They barely escaped the creepy old lady, and then they were being seated for lunch. Unfortunately, Kagome was seated right at the front table, but thankfully the menu was made of exquisite French concoctions and she had little trouble with the Western cutlery provided. And it seemed socially acceptable for the ladies to eat nothing – Kagome realized halfway through the second course that she'd eaten more than some ladies probably ate in a week.

The Korean Ambassador, previously sitting between Kagome and Izayoi, left his seat. Izayoi leaned closer towards her, smiling gently. "I hope the food is to your liking." Even at forty-three, the woman was still flawlessly beautiful, and much of her features were reflected in Inuyasha.

Kagome smiled back. "It's delicious, thank you. And congratulations."

"I've never met you before, but I've heard a lot about you all these years," Izayoi said kindly. "Unfortunately your parents had already left for America long before I even met Inuyasha's father, so I never got a chance to get to meet your mother. I'm sorry we never did."

Her sincerity touched Kagome's heart, and she felt her throat constricting slightly. In some ways Izayoi did remind her of her mother. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but they both had the same quiet gentle manner Kagome missed so much. "I think my mother would have been happy to meet you too," she said softly.

Izayoi smiled sadly, and touched her hand briefly.

To Kagome's enormous relief, guests were beginning to leave, most of them coming over to wish the couple well. A good many of them also took the time to smile at her or nod slightly, and in far less time than it had taken to strap one of her shoes on she found herself on her feet again, smiling and nodding through gritted teeth as part of the official party saying goodbye to the guests. Kagura waltzed by to congratulate her on her stunning dress, Inuyasha had managed to get rid of Kaede and was chatting to Kikyou, who was apparently a supermodel from Osaka. Sesshoumaru, still in deep discussion with an important-looking gentleman, assigned Jakotsu to take Kagome back to her suite.

It was nearly three o' clock in the afternoon when the morning festivities were over. Kagome collapsed onto a sofa in her room upstairs.

"How was it?" asked Yura eagerly, helping Kagome pull off her high heels, for which Kagome was grateful.

"I could have screwed up a lot more than I did," Kagome admitted, "and I'm glad I did not."

"You were fine," said Jakotsu reassuringly.

"You still have the evening," laughed Yura. "I hear you will be dancing?"

Kagome mumbled something about never getting married or renewed, downed a large swallow of wine for her nerves, before letting Yura begin touching up her makeup for the coming evening.


	9. Of Marriage and Money

Thank you to my lovely reviewers! Including animemajik82, kashiangel07, Rhianna224, Sesshoumaru's Beautiful Kristen, Angela Page, gigglez30, cowgirlkitten2000, Ichigo Mirai, Azumigirl, and the rest~ ^__^

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 9: Of Marriage and Money  
**

_Wherein the theme of marriage, and money, is discussed  
_

The doorbell rang and Kagura sailed into Kagome's room, followed by the tailor Myouga, who struggled to manage the two long boxes he carried. "Darling," she cried, kissing Kagome on the cheek, "you look tired. But it's time to dress, I've brought your outfit and mine."

"I _am_ a little tired, I suppose," Kagome admitted. From the end of the morning festivities she had been in her suite with Yura, who was busy re-doing her hair now, yanking it upwards and piling it atop her head. "Did you enjoy this morning?"

"It was okay," Kagura shrugged. "The decorations were beautiful, but I must say I'm looking forward to tonight. Did you get a chance to speak to Mr. Taisho?"

"No, but I did talk briefly with Izayoi, I guess." Kagome spotted Myouga pulling an exquisite kimono from one of the boxes. "Is that for this evening?"

"Absolutely. Didn't Sesshoumaru mention tonight is a traditional theme?" Kagura shooed Myouga away and dragged Kagome over to the kimono boxes. "Look, aren't these just the most beautiful pieces you've ever seen?"

They were, and Kagome said as much. The kimono was nestled amongst crepe paper in its box, a summery white silk weave with soft lashings of silver, paired with a lilac lining and leaf-green obi. It took nearly twenty minutes just for her to get into the under-kimono and the million ties that held everything together. When Kagura and Myouga draped the smooth fabric of the kimono over her, a delicate hint of perfume rose gently from the silk.

"This kimono -" Kagome said in surprise, lifting her sleeve and inhaling gently.

"How shall I tie your sash, Miss Higurashi?" interrupted Myouga.

"Oh, can't you decide something, Myouga?" Kagura asked, who was halfway through dressing herself expertly in a kimono with deep purple stripes across it. "And then come and help me with my hem, it's far too long."

"You never wear it the right length anyway," mumbled Myouga under his breath, so much so that only Kagome could hear. "If only _some_ people would take better care of good clothing."

"What's that, Myouga?" said Kagura. She took a few tentative steps, her kimono trailing the floor rather dashingly. Kagome looked on in admiration, but didn't think she would ever be able to wear a kimono that way without falling over.

"I said, good clothing should be worn properly!" Myouga said.

Kagura snorted and turned to Kagome. "Shall we go down now?" She slipped an arm through Kagome's and moved at an admirably fast pace towards the door, kimono sleeves swinging enticingly. She chattered non-stop like she usually did, and Kagome tottered beside her in miniscule steps. "We can meet the guys downstairs before going in."

"Will all the guests be in kimono?" Kagome asked. Funnily enough, she could actually imagine someone as casual and rumpled as Inuyasha wearing traditional clothes.

"I'm pretty certain all the ladies will be, but not all the men, I suppose," Kagura said thoughtfully. "Men tend to get away with suits for often for formal occasions. Gender equality indeed, or so they would have you believe. I would have shown up in a cocktail dress just to see their faces, but this particular kimono was commissioned for my twentieth birthday by Izayoi, so I figured I had to wear it today."

Kagome nodded. "I heard many kimono have histories or certain sentimental value behind them."

"Funny you should say that," Kagura said with a strange sparkle in her eye. "What you're wearing used to belong to Sesshoumaru's mother."

"You're joking." Kagome's jaw dropped. "What if I ruin it?"

"Well, don't worry, it's technically my responsibility. Misaki Taishou's kimono collection went to her sister for safe-keeping, who happens to be my mother. And now since my mother is living in Italy..." Kagura smiled sweetly at Kagome. "You'll look after it, won't you."

"Yes, but won't Izayoi find it a little insulting if I wore the clothes of her husband's ex-wife to her renewal of vows?"

"Well, not ex-wife, no. _Technically_," sighed Kagura, "Sugimi and Misaki Taishou were never divorced. They kept up their marriage for their families' sake, although you only have to count the age difference between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha to get the picture." She smiled patiently at Kagome's confused look. "Mr. Taisho only married Izayoi when Sesshoumaru's mother died, which was about a decade ago, though the affair started before either of Mr. Taisho's sons were born."

"Sesshoumaru's mother is dead?" Kagome could only stare, and kick herself. How could she not have guessed? She had never been introduced to the woman, though she most certainly would have been by now if Misaki Taisho was still alive.

"Yes, you two have quite a bit in common, you and Sesshoumaru," Kagura said easily. They were riding in the elevator now, the walls covered entirely with mirrors. Kagome couldn't help but stare at their reflections. "Hey. Kagome, tell me something."

"Yeah?"

"When your father sent you here, and correct me if I'm wrong, he sort of gave the impression that you were sweet, unassuming, not exactly exposed to people of our sort of class." Kagura smoothed the skirt of her kimono. "But you're not. I mean, sure, you have objected to shopping at expensive department stores, but you don't seem to hate shopping." Kagura chuckled at Sesshoumaru's credit card bills again. "And up to today you've protested against any sort of makeup session with Yura, but I don't get the impression you're adverse to it... it's more as though, you'd rather do something else funner."

"Like gamble with Bankotsu and Jakotsu?" Kagome said with a small smile.

In truth, did she really dislike any of these 'prissy' things? It would be hypocritical of her to say she hated being rich when she benefitted from it every day, and it wouldn't be right to say rich young ladies were all pampered and bitchy, because Kagura wasn't like that. Dressed in thousands of dollars worth of clothing, Kagome couldn't exactly say she'd rather go naked either. And as much as wearing heels killed her, she didn't mind seeing them on other women.

"I think," Kagome said slowly, "when my mother died when I was little, I didn't want any reminders of her around. And it was painful, because all around me our social circle there was always a lady with this particular Louis Vuitton bag that my mother had, or a Cartier watch, or something... After awhile, even when I was older, perhaps it became a habit to shun pretty, expensive things. I didn't hate them but I didn't chase them either."

"That was probably a source of concern for your father," Kagura said wisely. "Men don't know what to do with us when we don't fit the norm. It's too easy to buy a woman a nice ring and shut her up."

She looked startled. "Maybe you're right. Dad was always so busy, and though he was always there when I was growing up, he only ever seemed concerned about me not spending his money. Maybe I am a little too attention-seeking on that point."

"Believe me, dear, we are all attention-seeking," Kagura laughed, "but you're far from being terrible. Though that does explain you a little."

"You are one of the shrewdest people I've ever met," Kagome said sincerely.

"That said, your Japanese etiquette if completely off," Kagura said with sisterly sternness. "You _can_ walk in a kimono without sucking in your breath the entire time, you know. And try to keep your steps fluid. Here, look at yourself in the mirrors and do it." She gave Kagome a little push towards the other end of the elevator.

Kagome felt a little stupid pacing back and forth in such a confined area, but after awhile she got the hang of it, in time for the elevator to stop for more passengers. It was Miroku and Sango who stepped in.

"Miroku, your kimono -" Kagome began, biting back a laugh. It looked stunning on him, all his clothes did, but the shade of purple was without doubt... pimp.

"I think it's sexy," Kagura volunteered.

"It's purple," Kagome and Sango chorused.

"Maybe Inuyasha will show up in red," Miroku said with a grin. The red robe was legendary among fashion circles in Japan, the subject of hot debate among designers who were in love with the softness of the fire-rat skin material, but less enthused about the colour it came in - a lurid tomato red.

"Absolutely not," Kagura said with a shudder. "I made sure for him to come in dark blue, I had Jaken collect the outfits directly from Myouga for the guys... Ah, there he is!"

They arrived at the lobby, and were met by Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. "Kagura! Was it you that made the arrangments for me to escort Mrs. Kaede this morning?" stormed Inuyasha as they approached.

"What's wrong? She's a lovely lady," Kagome said nonchalantly. "I had the chance to speak with her earlier today."

"And you've got Kikyou now anyway," added Kagura innocently, waving almost too brightly at the woman standing next to Inuyasha. True to her words, Inuyasha had come in a deep navy kimono, but Kikyou had embraced the bright red kimono theme fully, with matchiing red flower in her hair.

"Lovely to see you all," Kikyou said, her eyes mostly fixated on the three other ladies' dresses, as though she were trying to calculate the net worth of each kimono. "We should go in. Is Hiten coming, Kagura?"

"Oh, him," Kagura said, rolling her eyes at her actor boyfriend. "He was way too tired from this morning so he took a flight to Okinawa earlier. Some director is having a beach party, I think he said... You'll escort Kagome and I, won't you, Sesshoumaru?"

His eyebrow lifted. "Well, apparently I am now?"

"Of course you are, you darling, I haven't got Hiten here, have I." She took his arm and nodded at Kagome to do the same. The three of them moved ahead, and Kagome could swear although Sesshoumaru had graciously walked half a pace slower, it was Kagura who was charging ahead and leading the way.

"You look nice," Kagome said to him after awhile. He was slim as ever in a formal black kimono with their family crests embroidered on the silk.

"Your walking has improved," he countered.

She wasn't sure whether he was complimenting her or laughing at her. When she looked towards Kagura for help she realized the woman had already disappeared to the other side of the room and was chatting to two reporters for top lifestyle magazines.

"Did you find your way around alright in the morning?" he said after a pause.

"I think I did alright," she said uncertainly.

"Izayoi thought you were a dear. Well, she also thinks Inuyasha is a dear." His smile was unreadable.

"Don't all mothers think that of their children?" They turned, and Izayoi stood smiling at them. "You look wonderful, both of you."

They exchanged bows. "Isn't my father with you?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"He had to take a phone call. Thank you and Kagura for helping me with all the preparations, though."

"A pleasure, Izayoi."

"Kaede Minegawa was very impressed. I think she wants Kagura to marry her grandson now."

Kagome doubted Kagura would be too impressed with that and mentioned as much to Izayoi, who laughed.

"All this," Izayoi said, gesturing elegantly at the guests. "Those who are married can't get enough of it. We do it again and again. If only your generation would catch on to the enthusiasm. Did the Crown Princess speak to you at all, Sesshoumaru?"

"She did," he said briefly, and Kagome could have sworn with delight that he looked slightly eager to steer the topic away from that.

"I didn't," she piped, looking slyly at Izayoi. "Did you, Mrs. Taisho?"

Izayoi winked back. "I thanked her for coming, of course. She mentioned something about borrowing some of the design themes for her own wedding."

"Oh, is there going to be a royal wedding? Sesshoumaru, will you be going?"

"As the groom?" mouthed Izayoi in silence.

Kagome felt her ribs shaking in giggles. It made the swinging ends of her obi sash sway.

"You never know, Inuyasha might catch her eye," Sesshoumaru said politely. "He'd probably be more popular with the princess."

"Me, the mother-in-law of the princess?" coughed Izayoi. "Well, a mother can only hope. And here's your father."

Sugimi Taishou beamed at the three of them. "How are we this evening? Can I get you drinks?"

"You look so happy, dear," Izayoi said.

"Why wouldn't I be? I am celebrating our marriage today." Sugimi glanced at his son, but Sesshoumaru looked respectfully impassive. "Also, I just received word from our brokers. The casino share prices have more than doubled."

"I would imagine," Sesshoumaru said. "The media attention this event has generated has been enormous."

"Well, that means dividends to all shareholders," Sugimi said. "Including you, Kagome. I should make the announcement later. Our guests will be so pleased. Anyways, we should eat first." He ushered his bride towards the dining area, where long, low tables had been set up on tatami floors. Already many guests were digging into a massive repast, complete with jars and jars of fragrant sake.

Kagome settled down next to Sesshoumaru in a quieter spot partly secluded by a beautiful folding screen, for which she was glad. No one would have to stare at her clumsy use of chopsticks. "I have shares?" Kagome asked Sesshoumaru. "I thought my dad sold off most of his shares in Japanese companies a long time ago."

"Plenty, I should imagine. And quite a number with the casino."

"I was never told," she said. Some of the waiting staff brought them exquisite dishes on gilt lacquered trays, but they ignored the food. Instead, he filled up on the sake while she made up her mind not to touch anything she could potentially spill on her sleeves.

"Your father, Mr. Higurashi, and my father were the original investors in the casino," Sesshoumaru said. "When you left for America, your father sold off a good portion of his shares, mostly back to us, but your mother had a few shares also. Which I assume have now passed to you, naturally, since upon her passing away you are her child and receive her estate as such."

She digested this information. "Do you know how many shares I have, then?"

"If you included the stake your father still holds, I would say ten or eleven percent. Your mother had about five percent when she died - that five is legally yours. And the rest will pass to you eventually."

Her eyes grew wide. "And you and Inuyasha? I mean -" she realized how rude she sounded. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

He looked mildly amused. "Well, stakeholders are entitled to certain information. My father owns forty percent. Inuyasha and I were given ten each. My mother had twenty, but when she died I sold five to Kagura, which left me fifteen, so I have about a quarter in holdings. There's your family's share, then the final ten percent is distributed among close family friends."

"What are you two doing behind this screen?" Inuyasha descended on them with Kikyou. "Sessh, we're gonna head off, okay?"

"Back together again, are you?" Sesshoumaru asked with sarcastic surprise.

"Only until the Crown Princess is safely married," he whispered, for which Kikyou accidentally pinched his arm. "Say bye to our parents for me." They flounced off as quickly as they had come.

Kagome settled back down. "You have quite a good relationship with your stepmother."

There was a pause. "She is my father's wife."

"I think... if my father were to get married again, I might not be as tolerant," she admitted.

"Izayoi is in no position to challenge my future," he said matter-of-factly. "She knows this, and she doesn't try and push Inuyasha into my father's favour."

"She has no stake in the company," Kagome observed.

"My mother may be dead but her family is still alive. They disapprove of Izayoi and Inuyasha." Kagome got the feeling Sesshoumaru had used the word 'disapprove' loosely.

"Do you miss her?" she said all of a sudden.

He looked at her. "Do you miss yours?"

Their eyes met briefly. His cell phone started buzzing. Kagome looked away.

"Yes?"

"Hi boss," drawled Jakotsu over the line. "It's Jakotsu. We have a problem."


	10. Kimono in the Rain

**A/N: Another chapter! You guys must be inspiring me, especially since I'm sitting college exams right now... XD; Allow to thank all my lovely readers and reviewers before I present Chapter 10, I must say I wasn't going to update so early, but you guys convinced me otherwise.**

Crescent Dreams (Lady Icykimi): It's so great to hear from you! I can't believe I've started writing again either, I really thought I would go for good. And all the old readers/authors have vanished too... but it's wonderful you're still around. ^_^

kashiangel07: Thanks for reviewing - here's the update. ^_^

Yuki Asao: I remember you! =D It's great to see a familiar username... hope you enjoy this chapter.

Azumigurl: I hear ya! XDD Thanks for the review.

Kagome Miko207: Hehe, Sessh and Kagome ARE warming up, aren't they? *fingers crossed*

Dana Daidouji: Hey, great to see you again, I remember you from the other fics! xD Thanks for reading again.

Peyton Cummings: The Crown Princess? You never know, haha!

cowgirlkitten2000: Thanks for your inspiration review. ^_^

**Also would like to thank** Stargazer, S3rrenity4193, Rhianna224, XXmistressdeathXX, hatachi, chochearts: Thanks for your reviews, guys, I'm glad you enjoy Kyoto Summer. ^_^

* * *

**Chapter 10: Kimono in the Rain**

_Featuring our heroine Kagome Higurashi in a summer storm_

"Excuse me," Sesshoumaru told Kagome, rising gracefully. "I have to take this call."

She nodded, getting up a lot less gracefully, trying not to trip over her sleeves. "I'll go chat with Miroku and Sango."

He watched her disappear into the crowd of guests before turning back to his phone. "Speak," he said sharply. Jakotsu and Bankotsu wouldn't have called unless absolutely necessary, that much he knew for sure.

"The cameras on the tenth floor picked up Naraku and his buddy Onigumo. It would appear they've taken a room about an hour ago."

Perfect. "Who checked them in?" Sesshoumaru queried icily.

"One of the concierge temporary employees, who hasn't been briefed about not letting the two in. Besides, we've checked the system and they've checked in under the false names of Kurana and Mogunio. Naraku and Onigumo backwards, of course."

"Well? Eject them," Sesshoumaru said impatiently.

"Absolutely, sir, when we find them... They're not in their rooms, so I'm scanning the cameras as we speak."

Sesshoumaru left the reception hall and moved towards the security center. Bankotsu and Jakotsu could handle Naraku and Onigumo easily, but there was no point of him returning after this. The important guests would be retiring and the younger people would be at the after party. Besides, he wanted to see just what the hell it was that kept Naraku and Onigumo coming back.

Jakotsu and Bankotsu were inside already with a few more security staff. "Sorry you had to leave the reception," Jakotsu said apologetically. "Bankotsu's been retracing their movements since they've come in. They pretty much checked in an hour ago and headed straight for the casinos, but left when they saw a few of our security members on the floor. We've located them by the pool, I've got a security detail on their tracks."

"They must be meeting with someone," Bankotsu said, pulling up footage of the pair all around the casino at various times and locations. He froze a grainy snapshot of Naraku and Onigumo with a dark-haired man. "There. The dealer at table five, the same dealer who was at the table where they were trying to cheat last time. But I'm not detecting anything underhanded here..."

"So they weren't just cheating," one of the security team said. "But what then?"

Sesshoumaru glanced at Jakotsu and Bankotsu. Knowing the business, that left only one other thing.

"If they're crooks..." began Bankotsu.

"And they're not here to cheat..." Jakotsu continued.

Sesshoumaru looked contemptuous. "Drug dealing."

"Oh, Naraku, Onigumo," sighed Jakotsu.

"Can you pull up the movements of the dealer for the last week?" Sesshoumaru said. He waited for Bankotsu to flick through more footage.

This would take awhile. He dialled Jaken and the servant picked up immediately on the first ring.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! How can I serve -"

"Jaken. I need a change of clothes," Sesshoumaru said, cutting him off.

"Also how about something to drink?" Jakotsu asked with a wink. "I could do with a beer."

"And bring some wine," Sesshoumaru said, hanging up.

* * *

The evening was still going strong, although most of the younger crowd had been slowly trickling out. Kagome was just about ready to fall into bed, but Miroku and Sango had other ideas.

"You're coming to the after party, right?" Miroku said. They sat in the plush seats in reception, where the doormen had been sent to flag a cab.

"There's an after party?" asked Kagome, trying to stifle a yawn.

"The best ever," Sango added. "Beautiful people, and lots of dancing. We'll stop by a friend's place to change and then we'll head to the club."

Kagome stopped herself from saying yes automatically. Her feet ached in a reminder that she was not up to dancing of any sort. "I don't know, I might just go to bed after this..."

"No way, everyone will be there!" Sango said in dismay. "It's not even ten o' clock. "

"I really shouldn't," Kagome said reluctantly.

A cab pulled up in front of the fountains through the glass doors outside. "I think that's ours?" Miroku said. "Kagome, you sure you won't come? Everyone's gonna be there, Inuyasha, Kagura..."

"Nah, I need to rest," Kagome smiled. "You guys go ahead and have fun. By the time I get out off this kimono I'll be dead on my feet."

She walked them to the cab, waving as it drove off. The next thing she knew, a coach bus pulled up in front of her and a crowd of tourists had rushed out from the hotel towards it, almost knocking the wind out of her.

"Excuse you," she muttered, glaring at them as they squeezed onto the bus.

"Hello, are you the special tour guide for tonight's Osaka Evening Culture tour?" asked the Japanese tour guide for the group, eyeing Kagome's kimono.

"What tour?" asked Kagome in amazement. People went on tours at this hour? Tourists were crazy. "You must be mistaken, sorry, I'm actually staying at -" She turned to gesture at the hotel, but stopped as she glanced at the large swinging doors in surprise. Surely that wasn't Naraku and Onigumo, moving swiftly to leave the hotel, and looking two hundred percent sneaky while they were at it?

But sure enough Naraku's eyes met hers with a leering grin, and he nudged Onigumo. They both looked straight at her.

Kagome panicked. "Yes, I'm the tour guide," she told the other woman abruptly, stepping hastily up onto the bus, nearly tripping over her hem while she was at it. "Let's get on this tour."

"You speak English, right," the Japanese tour guide said suspiciously as the bus revved on.

"Certainly," Kagome said. They were now a safe distance from the hotel, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Chances were that this tour guide couldn't speak English and would never know the difference if what Kagome told the tourists was nonsense. "What tour is this again, sorry?"

"The Osaka Evening Culture Tour," the woman said impatiently. "We're going to view the Osaka textfile factory, a kimono shop and have an evening tea ceremony before staying the night at a teahouse, remember?"

Kagome sighed deeply. Great, more tea ceremonies, as though they weren't boring enough already - wait, did that lady just say _Osaka_?

* * *

They wouldn't call the cops, of course. It wasn't good for publicity, and besides, knowing the wealthy clientele that frequented the casino, it was inevitable a certain amount of cocaine and ecstacy and whatnot would be in use. But it was certainly against the casino's employee policy for any employees to be dealing drugs with clients. That was out of the question, and heads were going to roll if Sesshoumaru had anything to do with it.

"Confiscated about six hundred thousand yen and a few rocks of crack from that dealer," Bankotsu was saying. "Tora Koguchi, hired seven months ago... his file seems okay otherwise. No complaints from customers or coworkers."

"It's always the quiet ones, I tell you," Jaken said. Having arrived with a fresh suit for Sesshoumaru and bottle of Merlot for the rest, he now decided his input was needed. "The quiet ones _always_ have something up their sleeve. Have we sent guys after this Koguchi fellow?"

Jakotsu rolled his eyes. "How kind of you to remind us, Jaken, we'd forgotten all about it."

"Jaken, can't you go bother someone else?" grumbled Bankotsu. "We're a little busy over here, thanks."

"How rude!" huffed Jaken. "I'll let you know, I've been working with Taisho-sama since before your mother was born, you insolent brat."

"Shut up and pour the drinks, toad."

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" complained Jaken. Said person ignored the servant resolutely.

"Pipe down, Jaken," Bankotsu said, "we're in the middle of an investigation."

"Investigation!" exploded Jaken. "Under my care this wouldn't have even happened! There would be no need for any investigation!"

"Gentlemen!" snapped Sesshoumaru.

"I have word Naraku and Onigumo have left the premises," Jakotsu said, listening to a hurried update on his security earpiece.

Sesshoumaru looked at Bankotsu. "And the cameras confirm this?"

"Let's see... yes, the pair hopped into a taxi, license number is - hold on, there's a tour coach parked in front of the taxi, I have to wait for it to move first." Bankotsu rewinded the video tape and squinted at the screen in disbelief.

* * *

A distant clap of thunder echoed, followed by a rush of wind that smelled strongly of rain.

"Great. Absolutely wonderful." Kagome looked at the sky and felt like cursing anyone and everyone. Especially Naraku and Onigumo. If not for them she wouldn't be stuck in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone dressed for anything but a hike. And now it was going to rain. Beautiful.

By the time she had gotten her message across that she wasn't the tour guide for any damned Osaka tour (and her Japanese wasn't that bad, was it?) the driver had let her off somewhere in suburban Kyoto next to a huge park. Which was lovely, because she had no clue where the hell she was.

And she couldn't get drenched in Misaki Taisho's kimono, that was for certain. No way was she going to go back and say to Sesshoumaru, "Don't hate me but I ruined your mother's summer kimono but it was Naraku's fault!"

One fat drop of rain hit the top of her head. Kagome shuffled under a big tree for temporary shelter, doubting the sky would hold much longer. Before her was a lovely dry hollow in the tree trunk. Pity it wasn't big enough for her to hide in.

Although... sighing, she began pulling at the ends of her obi as fast as she could. Careful to keep the long ends off the dirt, she folded the sash loosely and hid it in the tree hollow. It had just only been joined by the kimono, which she had really struggled with, when massive raindrops began splashing down on the ground. Within moments Kagome was soaked, and the summery evening had turned very chilly.

"Okay, think positive," she mumbled to herself, pulling the clingy thin kimono under robe around her. "Um, you could have bumped into Naraku and Onigumo. Um, you could be still on a bus to Osaka. Or, you could have run inside the hotel, not up the bus, you stupid -"

She felt like crying.

Nevertheless she forced herself to trudge towards the main road. There was no point standing around aimlessly; if she was going to get wet she could at least attempt to retrace the roads backwards. Kagome could hardly see the weak streetlights through the torrents of rain, but it felt like she was walking for eternity. There were no cars around, which was good because she wouldn't get run over, but was also bad because it meant there was absolutely no one out there. Kagome shuffled along the road - well, it felt like wading through a shallow swimming pool.

A sign off the side of the road caught her eye, some difficult Japanese characters and the picture of a big phone. Emergency phone! She could've kissed it, before realizing she didn't remember anyone's phone number. She didn't know her own, come to think of it. Kagome racked her brains to think of the Japanese police emergency number.

Not 911, no, that was back in America, was it 919? 119? She dialled the buttons, shivering.

The answer was rapid. "What's the emergency?"

"Hi, I'm stuck in the middle on nowhere!" Kagome had to yell above the rain. This classified as an emergency, right? She could get run over any moment.

"Your location, ma'am?"

"I'm not sure, somewhere on the outskirts of Kyoto! On the route towards Osaka!"

At the local police station a few miles away, the officer on duty looked at his partner on the night shift. "Think it's a prank call?"

They shrugged. Prank callers seldom chose such horrible weather to make their calls, but they wouldn't be able to leave the police station until the storm let up anyway.

"Say we'll be there in awhile," the partner said, sighing. In the meantime, they could finish their supper first.

* * *

"Hey, I've just spoken to a rather upset lady downstairs," Jakotsu said. "It would appear that she was meant to start her new job this evening as a tour guide in Osaka and the bus left without her?"

Wonderful. Kagome in Osaka. Sesshoumaru wanted to laugh out loud. She couldn't even speak the language properly, she'd be lost in a city of millions. Sesshoumaru could just see himself trying to explain that to his very understanding father.

Jakotsu wasn't finished. "Also, I called the tour agency, who then called the driver of the bus, who said they did pick up some lady in a kimono who wasn't the tour guide, but dropped her off next to Goshinboku Park. Are they stupid or what, in this weather!" he exclaimed scornfully.

"Want us to go get her?" Bankotsu asked dubiously, looking at the beating rain outside.

"It's alright." Sesshoumaru got up, feeling a headache beginning to build itself. "Keep looking for anyone involved in the drug scheme and fire them immediately. Also we'll need to start hiring, so let the appropriate departments know. Jaken, call the driver."

"I'm so sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama," squeaked Jaken. "All the drivers are on duty tonight fetching guests to and from the reception."

"Fine, get my keys, then."

"Yes, sir!" The toad scrambled out immediately.

"The Mercedes keys, Jaken!" Sesshoumaru called after him.

Like hell he was driving his lovely Porsche out in this rain.

* * *

He saw her walking along the road a few miles away from Goshinboku Park, trudging through puddles of water looking absolutely soaked to the bone. To top it off, Kagome appeared to be wearing practically nothing from the way the now-transparent white under robe clung to her skin.

"You'll catch your death," was all he said, handing her a handkerchief and his suit jacket as she got into the car. This proved unsatisfactory; she looked both miserable and apologetic as water still managed to pool onto the plush leather seating.

"How did you know where I was?" she asked after awhile.

"How did you end up on a bus to Osaka?" Sesshoumaru countered.

"I... was outside seeing Miroku and Sango off when I thought I saw Naraku and Onigumo rushing out towards me, so I panicked," she said, cringing slightly as she waited for a scathing remark.

But he didn't say anything, merely nodded and started the ignition.

"Oh, wait, sorry, can you just drive further up for a bit, to the park?" Kagome said. "I left something there."

"At Goshinboku Park?" he sounded quizzical.

"Yeah..." The big tree loomed into view. "There! Do you have an umbrella in the back?"

He watched, slightly bemused and too tired to question as she grabbed the umbrella and hurried over to the famous Goshinboku tree. The rain was letting up now, drizzling playfully almost. She hurried back, clutching a bundle of bone-dry silk which she passed to him carefully.

"I didn't want to ruin it," she explained simply. "Kagura said it belonged to your mother."

Sesshoumaru recognized the soft silk kimono which she had been wearing earlier that evening. He wasn't sure if he was touched or amused.

Kagome looked straight ahead. "Take me home."

Shrugging, he hit the accelerator. The car leapt forward, and they sped off towards the hotel.

"It really wouldn't have mattered, you know," he said after awhile.

"Yes, it would've," she said, her eyes closed. "It would've."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Feedback, suggestions and comments always appreciated. =]**


	11. Driving You Crazy

**Chapter 11: Driving You Crazy**

_In which Kagura saves the day._

The car pulled to a screeching halt in front of the hotel. The valet leaned forward to open the door, looking surprised as a dripping wet Kagome Higurashi emerged. On the driver's side the door slammed as Sesshoumaru got out, and he tossed the keys to the valet. "Park the car. And get someone to clean it up."

"Yes, sir," the startled valet said, staring at Kagome's highly visible legs from under her thin robe. As they went inside she left a trail of water all through the hotel lobby, attracting quite a few stares from the concierge and the few guests milling around.

"Sesshoumaru!" called Jakotsu, who had been standing near the reception counters questioning the staff about Naraku. He hurried forward, halting when he saw Kagome. "Oh hey, you found her!"

"You don't say," Sesshoumaru said cynically.

"Allow me to escort you upstairs," Jakotsu said, bowing chivalrously. He swept them both into the elevator and pushed the button for Kagome's floor.

"Really, I can take the elevator and unlock my door by myself," Kagome laughed.

"I need to talk to this guy anyway," shrugged Jakotsu, turning to Sesshoumaru. "By the way, would you like us to inform your father about Naraku and Onigumo being here tonight?"

Sesshoumaru looked disinterested. "I'll leave that up to you."

"What were Naraku and Onigumo doing here anyway?" Kagome asked.

"Dealing drugs. Jakotsu and Bankotsu discovered Naraku and Onigumo were buying cocaine from a dealer at the casino."

Trust them, the dirty no-good pair. Somehow Kagome wasn't surprised. "That's terrible. Do you need to go and handle things? Don't worry about me."

Jakotsu was quick to jump in, shaking his head emphatically. "Don't worry, Kagome, we don't need Sesshoumaru, we have everything under control. Except maybe Jaken," he added as an afterthought.

They reached her room and Jakotsu opened the door for them before excusing himself. "Um, Sesshoumaru, thanks for coming to get me," Kagome said for what was probably the millioneth time. "I'll be back in a minute," she called over her shoulder as she disappeared through the bathroom door to wage war with fluffy white towels.

Like, what else was she supposed to say, make yourself comfortable? Didn't that sound a tad too familiar? Sighing, Kagome turned on the hot water and stripped off the last of her wet garments. The heat was soothing, and she stepped out feeling two hundred times better than she had before. She found Sesshoumaru standing by the window, looking out into the night view of the city. He had poured two glasses of a very lethal-looking alcohol from the mini-bar.

"Drink," he commanded. "I don't want you falling sick on me."

"Thanks, but hey, I don't want to fall sick on you either." Kagome accepted her glass warily. "Though wouldn't a nice hot cup of tea do the job just the same?"

"Tea," Sesshoumaru repeated, looking incredulous. She was suggesting that he should actually deign to brew tea. Next she would be asking him to clean the floors, or wash her clothes. "I don't do tea," he said resolutely.

"Ok, fine, heavens forbid you do menial labour," Kagome sighed dramatically. She drank quietly, and found she enjoyed the warmth that seeped through her system within seconds.

"Cheers," he said wryly, watching her down her drink greedily.

Kagome said nothing for awhile, feeling a little guilty for all the trouble she had caused tonight. He had, afterall, left a rather crucial security situation to pick her up. Maybe she would go out and get him a thank-you gift tomorrow. If she could borrow a car somehow...

"Hey Sesshoumaru, can I borrow your car tomorrow? Please?"

He arched an eyebrow. "Can you even drive?"

"Totally. You are allowed to drive when you're 18 in America," Kagome said confidently.

He wasn't fobbed off so easily. "But do you have a license?"

"Sure, I have a license!" Kagome looked at him straight in the eye, innocently. "I'll even get it converted to an International License first thing tomorrow, okay?"

Why not. He would need the day tomorrow to sort out more of Naraku's mess anyway. "Fine," he said grudgingly. "I'll tell Jaken to give you keys."

* * *

The next day Jaken was waiting for her with a scowl, a gleaming Lexus parked downstairs.

"Are these for me?" Laughing, Kagome grabbed the keys he held and waved as she launched herself into the driver's seat.

"Now you be careful!" warned the toad, looking at her with untrusting eyes. "And make sure you get your license converted first! Sesshoumaru-sama told me to set the directions on the GPS, and -"

"Yeah, yeah." Rolling her eyes, Kagome slammed the door on the toad and rubbed her hands in glee.

Cell phone? Check. Money? Check. Seat belt?

"Nah, forget that," she mumbled with a grin. She put the keys in the ignition and gripped the steering wheel tightly.

From outside the car Jaken was still yelling. "And no speeding! And watch the traffic lights!"

She stomped on the pedals. The car shot forward.

The wonders of Japanese car-making technology.

_Kyoto... here I come._

Humming to herself, she followed the navigation system to what seemed like a registration centre. The tyres screamed in disapproval as she parallel-parked at a 90-degree angle. Getting out, Kagome headed for the office.

She looked at the bureaucrat sitting there and flashed him a winning smile. "I'd like to get my license converted, please." She handed him her American license.

"No problem, Miss Higurashi," he said, glancing at it. "Looks like it's in order... and what is the number plate of the car you will be driving in Japan?"

"Oh, I'm not sure." She looked out the window and gestured at the car. "There, that one."

The man looked skeptical. "You mean the Lexus?" All the other cars were parked neatly along the curb, but hers jutted out defiantly to face the road.

"Yeah, that one," Kagome said airily. She knew how to deal with these registration people. She leaned in and lowered her voice confidentially, slipping a stack of thousand-yen bills in front of the guy. "Also, thanks for looking after everything so efficiently for me."

"I'm sorry, Miss," the man said in confusion. "I don't understand."

Ah, Japan. Didn't they do bribes? Sighing, Kagome tried to recall an article in a business magazine she'd read once. Connections. That was it. It was all about connections.

"Okay," she said, smiling at him brightly. "So, you've heard of the name Akihiro Higurashi? And Sugimi Taisho?"

* * *

What on earth did one get a person like Sesshoumaru anyway? Kagome sighed as she stepped into yet another boutique. A tie was too practical. A pen? She hadn't seen Sesshoumaru use a pen since she'd arrived, with what the age of technology. She would have probably been better of getting him a Blackberry or something, if not for the fact that she didn't understand electronics one bit. You didn't buy a guy shoes, not that she knew his shoe size anyway. Socks were the territory of wives. Cuff links... were the territory of mistresses.

Maybe she'd get him a crate of tequila, at least Kagura would be able to share in the joy too.

Honestly, she had no idea what men liked. Her dad always appreciated her gifts, even if they were childish works of art or expensive sets of cologne. And Sesshoumaru wasn't her dad either.

Somehow she didn't place him as a chocolate person...

Maybe she would get him a giant crystal paperweight. Like the sort of clear, sparkling perfection she thought he might appreciate. Or something for his car, men always loved their cars, and speaking of cars -

"Shit," cursed Kagome, rushing outside in time to see a tow truck drag her car - correction, Sesshoumaru's car - away.

Groaning, she hit herself on the head before figuring self-harm wouldn't exactly help her situation. She dialled Inuyasha instead. "Hey, Inuyasha, where do towed cars get taken in Kyoto?"

"_You didn't_! Kagome!"

"Yeah, I'm dead, I get that," grumbled Kagome. "Don't tell your brother."

She flagged a cab, and rattled off the address Inuyasha gave her. The driver dropped her off by a centre with large tow trucks parked menacingly outside. Inside the office, a greasy, angry-looking man sat typing away at a computer.

"Hi, I'm here to pick up my car," Kagome said sweetly, flashing another huge smile.

"What car?" he said, not at all impressed.

She gave the number plate and the model. "Oh, that one," the man said dismissively. "Towed for illegal parking, and I have here on the system you've been booked thrice for speeding on the roads in the last hour so it's just as well we've towed it."

Kagome resisted biting his head off with choice words, and smiled a little more instead. "I'm sorry. I'm new to the roads, and this is my friend's car I'm borrowing. Can you release it now?"

"No, no can do." The man shook his head for emphasis. "I need the owner to come in and sign the release papers."

Kill me now, screamed Kagome in her head. "Okay, look," she said, "have you heard of the name Akihiro Higurashi?"

The guy look bored. "Is he the owner?"

"No - well, um..."

"I can't release the car to anyone except the owner."

Kagome bit her lip. There was no way in hell she was getting Sesshoumaru to come here. She might as well book herself a flight home at the same time. She looked at the guy in annoyance. "I'm going to make a phone call, okay?"

* * *

Kagura got out of her own car, not sure whether to look worried or amused. "Kagome?"

"Kagura!" Kagome looked relieved to see her. "Thank goodness you're here."

"The Automobile Bureau?" Kagura said, glancing at the officer behind the counter disdainfully. "They're real sticklers for the rules. I doubt you'll be able to get any car out of them without an owner's signature and a good slap on the wrist. And a fine."

"Great!" sighed Kagome. "Now what?"

Kagura smiled sympathetically. "Short of buying a new car, I think you're going to have to call Sesshoumaru."

Kagome paused. "You know," she said slowly. "Why not?" She had meant to get him a gift anyway, right? Why not a car?

"Well, problem being, that's a Lexus you're talking about. Custom-order. Which will easily take two months even if you prostitute the names Taisho and Higurashi mercilessly in front of the car salespeople," Kagura reminded her.

Right, damned luxury cars. "And I guess I don't know what sort of car he'd want, either," Kagome said, defeated.

It was Kagura's turn to pause. "Well, actually..."

"Yes?" Kagome said hopefully.

"My parents bought me a BMW for my birthday next month. It arrived last week and is sitting in the BMW showroom..." She looked at Kagome straight in the eye. "I know Sesshoumaru wants the same model. He helped me pick it out. I can sell it to you, but -"

Kagome's jaw dropped. "Kagura, I can't, it's yours -"

"Yes, you can," Kagura said firmly. "I already have two cars anyway, I can always order another one."

"Are you sure it's okay?" Kagome asked.

"Of course it's okay!" Kagura said, smiling at her. "Well, except for one thing..."

* * *

"Miss Kagura!" exclaimed the salesman, bowing deeply to her and Kagome. He ushered them onto a comfortable sofa where immediately sales staff with trays of champagne and mini fruit tarts descended on them. "Please, have a rest while I call Houjo-san."

"The manager," Kagura explained, reaching gleefully for a fruit tart. "Very cute, very helpful."

Houjo turned out to be quite cute, as Kagura had said. "Miss Kagura?" He said with a smile. "How can I help you today?"

"We have a problem, Houjo," Kagura said with a sigh. "I'm selling my car to my friend Miss Kagome here, and we need to pick it up today."

He looked surprised, but quickly recovered. "Of course. Shall I get someone to draw up the papers?"

"If you could, please," Kagura said.

He waved at someone, who came over. Houjo nodded some instructrions, and the person bowed and left. "Would you like to see the car then, ladies?"

"See, this is the small problem I was telling you about," warned Kagura as Houjo led them to a covered car.

With a sharp tug he pulled the silver sheet from it.

Kagome gasped slightly. It was beautiful. But she could see what Kagura meant by 'small problem'.

Kagura, being Kagura, had commissioned a stunning, sleek BMW in the latest model, in hot pink.

"Yeah, I don't think he'd like the pink," Kagome said after awhile, trying not to crack up.

Kagura didn't have as much self-control; she was shaking with silent laughter. "You don't say."

"Can you repaint it?" Kagome asked Houjo.

"Certainly," he said. "I can show you colour samples, silver is popular, as is red."

"Dark blue," Kagura said authoratively. "He's got silver already, and red's positively gauche."

"We need this done by this evening, Houjo, thanks," Kagome said. "Never mind the cost, of course. I need you to pay as many people overtime as you need."

He bowed again. "Of course." One of his staff appeared with a stack of papers in hand. "Would you like to sign the contract, ladies?"

Kagura grabbed the pen he held and signed with a flourish, holding it out for Kagome.

"Thank you again," Kagome said. "I'll get my bank to transfer money into your bank account tonight. How much do I owe you?"

"Oh, take your time," Kagura said unhurriedly. "Don't worry about it, I can get the papers sent to your bank for you. And when will the car be ready, Houjo?"

"By this evening," he promised. "I can get it delivered to your home for you."

"That would be fantastic. Please deliver it to my hotel," Kagome said, scribbling the address down. "I owe you a meal, at least. Have you had lunch?"

Kagura eyed her watch. It was past three. "Yeah, I know a good place."

"I'll give you a call when it's delivered anyway," Houjo said.

"Thanks. Let's go, Kagome."

At least at the end of it all she had gotten something done today. Things were starting to look up, Kagome thought positively.

Unfortunately for her, on the other side of town Sesshoumaru's cell phone rang as he sat with Bankotsu, Jakotsu and Jaken pouring over a mountain of recruitment paperwork. It was an unknown number. He tossed it to Jaken to pick up.

"Yes?" coughed Jaken.

"Good afternoon, this is the Japan National Automobile Bureau..."

Jaken listened intently, face turning greener than usual with rage.

"Who is it?" asked Sesshoumaru.

"Illegal parking!?" Jaken was practically yelling into the phone. The person on the other end spoke a few more words, to which Jaken grew even more indignant. "What do you mean, you _towed_ it away?"

* * *

"You have my car?" Sesshoumaru questioned icily.

"Er, yes," the man from the Bureau said, rifling through his file of papers. "Illegal parking. Sign here, please. Also there's a penalty fee of fifty thousand yen, if you don't mind. Also, I'll need to take a photocopy of your driver's license. If you don't mind," the man told him.

"No, I don't mind. After all, you've already interrupted me from far more pressing business," Sesshoumaru said coldly.

"And here's your receipt for the fine," the guy said cheerily, unaware of the death glare he was getting. "I still need your license, thank you."

"I don't see why you need it when I wasn't the one driving. Stop wasting my time," snapped Sesshoumaru.

The man sighed falsely. "Procedure, you know -"

"So call my lawyers. I don't care. Good day." He stalked outside where a junior staff member, under the threatening presence of Bankotsu and Jakotsu, had already goten the car out.

Nothing a few threats of litigation or bodily harm couldn't solve. Sesshoumaru approached his car, his eyes narrowing as they noted the scuffed tyres, dent on the fender and scratch on the paintwork.

No, he wasn't angry at all. More like, numb. Blank. Yes, blank. His mind was a calm, blank slate. Calm, blank slate. Calm, blank -

"Um, boss?" Bankotsu waved his hand in front of Sesshoumaru's face. "Do you want us to book the car repairer?"

Sesshoumaru looked at the vehicle with distaste. Was he supposed to even touch the steering wheel of a car that had gotten towed before?

"Send it to the junk yard once we get back," he ordered.

"What!" exclaimed Bankotsu. "What a waste!"

"Yeah," echoed Jakotsu. "Give it away, man! Give it to me!"

"Or me," Bankotsu said. "Oh, can I drive?"

"Whatever. Let's move, please."

* * *

"Hey, Sesshoumaru?"

"Hello," he said, glancing at her with his usual look of calm. It was late in the evening and Kagome looked like she'd just returned. "Did you have a good day?"

"At the car yard, you mean?" Jaken interrupted nastily, though Sesshoumaru shot him a look that shut him up quickly.

Kagome drew in a deep breath, hands clutching something behind her back. "Okay, sorry about your car. I didn't know it was illegal to park in two spaces," she said to Sesshoumaru, sweating slightly.

"Didn't you?" he asked, mildly sarcastic.

"I'm sorry. Now you're all mad at me."

"I'm not mad," he said.

"Well, anyway," Kagome continued, "they wouldn't let me get the car out without you being around, so I decided to get you a new car. As a thank you and a sorry present."

Whatever he had been expecting her to say, it wasn't this. "I beg your pardon?"

"Yeah, Kagura mentioned there was a BMW you liked." Kagome placed a new set of keys in front of him, feeling somewhat like a reprimanded child even though he'd hardly say anything. "Um, I'm just going to go now, okay?"

He paused. "Fine. Oh, and Kagome." He held out the second set of keys to the Lexus. "Keep it."

She looked stunned and embarrassed. "How did you -"

"They called my phone," Sesshoumaru said matter-of-factly. "You can take it to the showroom to get the scratches and dents fixed tomorrow, if you want."

"Oh, right." Kagome laughed, cheeks blushing. "Yeah, sorry about those. I really am. In fact, I'll buy you a drink! Kagura took me to this awesome cafe for lunch and they open as a night club in the evening. I'll even drive us there!" she volunteered, so enthusiastically he'd barely had the chance to decline.

* * *

There would be fewer cars on the road now it was evening, but there were a lot more people walking around.

"Ready?" Kagome asked, hitting the pedals before really waiting for a reply. The car jerked forward, causing him to narrowly miss being hit by the front mirror. "Er, sorry," she said, blasting her horn and some idiotic pedestrian who had cut across them.

Sesshoumaru wore a vaguely horrifed expression. "Who approved your license?"

"Eh? Well, that." Kagome chuckled nervously.

"Kagome," he said warningly.

"Um, I sorta... bribed the instructors when I was doing the test..."

"You _what_?"

She turned to glance at him sheepishly. "Cars and I have this strange, unpredictable relationship, it's like, they never do what I want them to."

"Eyes on the road, _please_, Kagome!" he cut in, reaching out to steer from his side of the car, swerving sharply to avoid hitting a sign board. "And for god's sake put on your seat belt."

"Oh, cool, can you steer for me then?" She said, letting go of the wheel to grasp at the seatbelt, tugging it towards the buckle.

"Okay, stop." Sesshoumaru looked traumatized. "I'm driving." In case she hadn't realized, he wanted to live a few more years.

"Yeah, okay, sorry." Kagome pulled up by the side of the road, braking hard. A loud, high screech of paintwork on sidewalk told her she had perhaps pulled up a little to close. "Oops."

He looked pained. "Promise me, Kagome, you will never drive a car in your life again."

She shrugged, grinning at him mischievously. "Hey, what do you know, maybe you should teach me driving."

"Absolutely not," he said immediately.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean? You know, consider it etiquette teaching. Like, driving etiquette."

"Yeah, whatever. No."

"You're horrible," she said, tossing her head lightly.

"The day you learn to drive properly, Kagome Higurashi, I will become your personal chauffeur."

"Ooh, is that a bet?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "You never win your bets against me."

Which was true. "Fine, no bets, but I'll prove you wrong someday," she sighed.

"Sure you will," he said. "Now, I believe you wanted to get a drink?"

* * *

**A/N: To all my reviewers, thank you again for your support, especially:**

**Gothic Lust: **Hope your exams went okay. =D

**twilightrose07**: Thanks, hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**ishala8:** Haha, Sesshoumaru needing therapy? He definitely needs it, though I can hardly see him on a psychiatrist's couch. xD

**Dana Daidouji: **Glad you like it ^__^ And I do rather like Sesshoumaru in this one myself, heh.

**Aiyoku Saotome: **Yeah, I hope Naraku and Onigumo get caught too. xD

**mychicagostars: **Thank you, glad you like. ^^

**Mey: **Aww, that's so sweet. Hope you liked this chapter.

**inuyashaxkagome321: **In Japanese, Naraku and Onigumo are spelt Na-ra-ku and O-ni-gu-mo, so 'spelt backwards' as such will be Ku-ra-na and Mo-gu-ni-o, not Ukaran and Omugino. =]

**kashiangel07: **No, Kagome didn't catch the flu, unfortunately. xD I would have liked to see Sesshoumaru's reaction, though.

**ZeraKayl: **Thank you dear, hope you liked this chapter!

**cowgirlkitten2000: **Thanks for the review, it was great hearing from you! =)

**Wolf's_Rain: **Thanks XD Here's the update so you don't have to come to my house, but if you did I'd invite you in for a cup of tea (not made by Sessh).

**Amputation: **Hehe thanks! I like AUs too.

**Heiress of the House of Moon: **Thanks, hope you liked this chapter!

And to **GurlOfTheNight, Rhianna224, Azumigurl, Stargazer **and the rest of all you wonderful readers and reviewers, thanks for reading and I'll see you next time. =) Feedback and suggestions always welcome.


	12. Perfect Boyfriend

**Chapter 12: Perfect Boyfriend**

_Enter the protagonists... It's not an act... is it?_**  
**

The classy, refined cafe Kagura had brought Kagome to in the daytime now turned into a trendy nightspot where all of Tokyo's elite seemed to be packed into. Weaving through the dance floor jammed full with bodies, they were barely able to squeeze into two seats at the bar counter. However the large crowd didn't stop the bar staff from churning out drinks by the second, and before she knew it Kagome was smacking her fourth empty glass onto the counter.

"Can I get one more, please," she called to the bartender. Around them people were busy ordering vodka by the bottle, so it hardly seemed excessive. But hopefully she'd remembered to bring her credit card. She wasn't sure she had enough cash on her to cover the amount she intended to drink.

"Kagome, five in an hour is a tad excessive," Sesshoumaru said patiently.

She shook her head with a smile. "I feel perfectly sober." Grabbing the martini glass the bartender set in front of them, she raised it towards Sesshoumaru in a toast. "Cheers!"

Sesshoumaru looked at her curiously. "Do you even know what you're drinking?"

"Happiness in a cup!" Kagome said glibly.

He coughed slightly. The girl was at least half-drunk, no doubt about that. More like, one hundred percent completely wasted. Sesshoumaru decided to humor her.

"What does happiness taste like?" he asked with a perfectly straight face.

Inch by inch, she leant in towards him until their lips hovered dangerously close to each other. "Do you want to find out?" Kagome asked softly.

He studied her carefully, allowing himself to admit for the first time she was rather beautiful. Even when her eyes were beginning to glaze over with inebriation. But before he could say anything she pulled herself back.

"I'm not that drunk, you know," Kagome said with a hint of indignation. "Just relaxed."

Sesshoumaru said nothing, and she struggled to fill the conversation.

"You know, come to think of it, I don't know much about you," Kagome said.

He picked up one of her empty glasses and toyed with it. "What do you want to know?"

"I dunno. Like, what's your favourite colour? What do you do in your spare time?"

"Oh, I like pink," Sesshoumaru said, trying to keep his mouth smirk-free. "Definitely pink."

"Eww," Kagome said. "That's not very manly of you, is it?"

"I know," he said with an exaggerated sigh. "So in my spare time I sleep with lots of pretty girls to make up for it."

"You're worse than Miroku!" she complained. "That's a shame, you could make a really good boyfriend. Well, when you're not in a bad mood."

He arched an eyebrow delicately "And what makes you think I wouldn't be a good boyfriend all the time?"

"What, wiill you prove to me otherwise?" Kagome asked.

"Kagome Higurashi, I'll wager you on this," Sesshoumaru said with solemn amusement.

"Fine," she said. "Three days. Can you be the perfect boyfriend for three days straight? Starting tomorrow morning."

"Darling, I'll throw in the rest of tonight for you," he said, standing up fluidly. "Now, let's get you home to bed."

She hopped off her chair, nearly falling over in the process. He steadied her and waved to the bartender. "Can you put this on my account, please."

Three days, huh. Just when he thought she'd learnt, she was off making bets with him again. Unfortunately (or fortunately) for Kagome, he hated losing.

* * *

The next morning Kagome groaned as she sat up in bed. Her head was painful. She stared at the mirror across the room. Her reflection did not look good. She had never been a morning person anyway, and coming home late last night was hardly the miracle cure to dark circles under eyes. It was raining outside, but it was very warm and slightly humid. Kagome was glad for the air-conditioning blasting away in her room. Rubbing hopelessly at her sleepy face, Kagome soon gave up trying to look energized and decided she would have to use a pair of dark glasses and very good concealer today instead.

Yawning, she slid out of bed and went into the bathroom, fumbling around on the dressing table. Where the hell were those eye creams Yura had left behind, and where the hell was the coffee?

As though on cue the doorbell rang. Kagome opened it warily.

"What are you doing here?" she asked Sesshoumaru, stifling another yawn.

"Morning," he said, handing her a container of aspirin.

"Ok, what are you doing?" she asked suspiciously. "Why are you being so nice?"

Sesshoumaru ran a cool finger across her throbbing forehead. "Because you might be needing it after a night of serious drinking."

The phone rang and Kagome jumped. She waved him inside her room absently and went to pick up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello dear, how are you?"

"Oh, hi Dad." Kagome flopped back onto her bed weakly. "I'm fine, how are you?"

Her father sounded very chirpy today. "You've hardly called," he said with mock hurt, "though I enjoyed seeing your photo in the paper very much."

"What photo?" Kagome said, before remembering all the journalists at the renewal of vows. Surely someone must have gotten a picture of her sometime. She only hoped it wasn't some unflattering low-angle shot that made her look hideous. "Oh."

"Yes, you looked very lovely. An absolute sensation over here. I've been bombarded with phone calls from social columnists asking about doing interviews. There is something exquisite about the Japanese woman in kimono, I must say."

"How... nice."

Her father went on, oblivious to her lack of excitement. "I really must congratulate that Sesshoumaru Taisho. He seems to be doing a highly efficient job of turning you into a young lady. I hear from my good friend Inutaisho you are very good at using chopsticks now!"

"Er, I'll be sure to let Sesshoumaru know how wonderful you think he is," Kagome said, rolling her eyes at Sesshoumaru. Parents, really. What did they know.

Her dad sounded unruffled. "Darling, raising you is a huge job. A pleasant one, but still a huge, difficult job. I do hope you appreciate what a huge favour our friends in Japan are doing us -"

"Of course I do," Kagome interrupted, rolling her eyes. Honestly, give her dad thirty seconds and he would start lecturing you about something or another, even when you were dead tired, or in this case, dead hungover.

"And I do hope you're on your best behaviour. Also, before I forget to tell you, you're not supposed to attempt driving over there, okay!"

Er, a bit late, Dad. "Yeah, I know, I won't," Kagome said soothingly.

Thankfully, he switched the subject. "So what are your plans for the day?"

"Dunno, I'm not even awake yet!" she sighed. Actually, after talking to her father she was now wide awake.

"Why don't you get Sesshoumaru to teach you tea ceremony," suggested her dad. "Goodness knows I've tried so hard but maybe you two will have more success."

Yes, tea by Sesshoumaru. Who was, now that Kagome looked at him, waiting with a perfectly patient look on his face that unnerved her slightly. She lifted the receiver away from her mouth and whispered, "Are you ok? Er, Dad, I gotta go," she mumbled, hanging up.

Which brought her back to Sesshoumaru.

"Ok, what are you doing here, really?" she demanded. "Do we need to "

He shrugged. "You made a bet with me, I believe."

A few moments of silence ensued. Kagome squinted, trying to remember. "I did?"

Oh my god, I did.

"You mean to tell me you really are going to go through with this?" Kagome said, narrowing her eyes. "Like, be the perfect boyfriend?"

"It would be... interesting," he said.

"_My_ perfect boyfriend?"

"You seem to think, Kagome Higurashi, that I don't know you at all," he smirked.

Kagome did not like the way he said that. She wrapped her arms around herself protectively and glared at him. "Just don't expect any favours, okay?"

Sesshoumaru hardly batted an eye. "I wouldn't dream of it."

"Good." She began filling the coffee pot at the kitchenette.

"However, that would be your loss," he murmured into her ear from behind her.

"Christ!" she jumped. His proximity was unnerving in a deliciously warm way.

"Relax," Sesshoumaru said, gently detaching her from the coffee pot. "I ordered room service. Strawberries, no champagne."

"Yeah I don't need any more champagne lest I bet with you some more," Kagome said ruefully. "Well, are we going to go to a movie or something later?"

"Movies?" He laughed. "Is that what normal couples do?"

"What normal couples do?" Kagome started at him. "Excuse me if we don't all go to Paris for dinner!" Then again, Paris would be nice. She didn't mind Paris.

"Come to think of it, we could go on a trip somewhere, except I don't know where your passport is," Sesshoumaru said thoughtfully.

"Don't be silly, of course it's in my -" Come to think of it, it wasn't in any of her bags.

"Your father was cautious that you might try to fly back home, so he gave your passport to my father for safe-keeping," he explained.

Trust the old man. "Great, and your dad is still away with Izayoi for their belated honeymoon thing," sighed Kagome. "Okay, what do we do then? You don't like any of the things I like! Like, driving." She smirked at his expression. These three days could be so much fun. "Or like, strip poker."

"Ah, that." If this girl thought he was backing down, she was mistaken. "Why not? We can play this evening."

"Bring it on," Kagome said, grinning at him. "And in the meanwhile can I please, please cut your hair?"

"Kagome, dear, when I said I'd be your boyfriend I didn't say hair model."

She pouted. He pretended not to notice. "Well, why don't we go somewhere, or do something?" asked Kagome. "Something fun?"

"Speaking of which, perhaps you would like to make some quick pocket money?"

It was her turn to raise eyebrows. "When you say pocket money...?"

"Oh, maybe two million yen. So spilt between two, that's ten thousand dollars each?"

"Aren't you a clever cookie!" Kagome exclaimed, patting him on the head, surprised when he didn't bat her away like he most normally would have. "And what do you propose we do?"

He looked at her slyly. "Well, _Fash!On_ _Japan_ is a monthly publication that only features prominent members of society as models in their magazine. They market their fashions for the upper-class market and make it a point to only accompany photoshoots with brief interviews. A mixture of _Time _and _Vogue_, if you will."

"Really," Kagome said dubiously. "I doubt they'd find enough people if they didn't want to hire proper models."

"Which is why they're highly eager to photograph you," Sesshoumaru said.

Kagome nearly laughed out loud. Today, of all days, when she looked like utter terror. "Tell me, Sesshoumaru, will any magazine in their right mind want to photograph me in this state?"

God, women and their little vanities. "You look fine, Kagome," Sesshoumaru said patiently. "Now, shall we?"

* * *

"Kagome, this is Ayame, international designer for the Fash!On Japan label," Sesshoumaru introduced.

"Delighted," Ayame said. "My dear Sesshoumaru, do you mean to say you've finally agreed to do a photoshoot for our autumn collection?"

He bowed gallantly. "Not today, but I've brought you Akihiro Higurashi's daughter as a model."

"Oh, you absolute darling, Sesshoumaru, you," said Ayame, blowing him an air kiss. "Yes, you'll do," she said, seizing Kagome up. "You're a little too short and a little too sleep-deprived. But nothing heels and make-up can't fix. Make-up!" yelled Ayame.

A team of three harried-looking make-up artists hurried over. "I want the cameras rolling in five minutes, you hear!" barked Ayame. "And where is my secondary coutourier! Where are the clothes!"

Kagome shot a sideways glance at Sesshoumaru, who smirked at her.

"You," Ayame said, jabbing an enormous folding fan at Kagome. "I want the innocent, naïve look. Sweet little girl with a dark side. And you." She jabbed the fan at Sesshoumaru and smacked him towards Kagome. "Go stand next to her over there, no, don't shake your head. I don't care if you don't want to be a model, you are _made _for being a model. You're not leaving until I get a few good shots of you both," insisted Ayame, snapping open her fan and fanning herself energetically with it. "Are we ready, people?"

"Yeah, I think," Kagome said, gulping as she saw one of the wardrobe assistants brandish impossibly high Gothic Lolita heels.

"Great!" Ayame squealed. "They're not too high for you, honey?"

"Oh, I've been trained," Kagome said lightly, staring pointedly at Sesshoumaru.

"Where are the cameras!" barked Ayame. It was actually quite scary the way her moods changed. "People, shall we get moving, please? We haven't got all day, and our guests today here are busy people!"

"You ready?" Kagome asked Sesshoumaru nervously.

"It's not difficult," chirped Ayame. "Just be yourself."

"Just relax," Sesshoumaru told her. He tilted her face towards the camera. "Well, and smile."

Her spine tingled slightly at his touch. Oh god, she was going crazy now. Around them, flashbulbs were going off madly – the only thing Kagome could see anymore was him, strangely radiant in the harsh glare of the lights.

"Relax," he repeated with a flicker of a smile on his perfect face. With one arm he pulled her towards him possessively, their hips just brushing, she looking doll-like and trusting, whereas he was more self-assured and perfectly poised.

As for him, well, even despite his past grievances against having to chaperone an unsophisticated girl like Kagome, he had to admit it was hardly a chore. On the contrary,

Everything should have been orchestrated, a show, and act. Yet Kagome it hard to believe even Sesshoumaru could put on such raw sensuality.

"So, your thoughts on fashion? What would you define your style as?" Ayame said, looking calm and smiling at them sweetly now.

"Oh, my style is currently under revamp, wouldn't you say?" Kagome said, looking at Sesshoumaru.

"Yes! Everyone needs a complete new look once in awhile!" Ayame said enthusiastically. "I'm so glad you two decided to join us today. How is it like living in America, Kagome?"

Kagome thought for a moment. "Really different, I must say." She didn't elaborate, but Ayame, who seemed to never run out of chitchat, jumped right on it.

"Yes, you absolutely can't compare living in America to the men we have in Japan!" simpered Ayame, batting an eyelash in Sesshoumaru's direction. "What's the deal with you two anyway?"

"No deals, just bets," Sesshoumaru said, and Kagome could have sworn he looked almost mischievous.

One of Ayame's assistants appeared with a black display folder. "Miss Ayame, we have prepared a copy of the preliminary prints."

"Oh, thanks." Ayame leafed through the pages of the book and smiled. "Now this one is just perfect."

"Can we see?" asked Kagome.

Ayame snapped the book shut with a secretive grin. "Absolutely not. You'll have to wait for this month's issue to be printed."

* * *

"I have a question for you, Mr. Perfect Boyfriend," Kagome said.

They were alone in his hotel suite. He was rifling through some paperwork - security and compliance measures in the casino or something. She was rifling through his closet.

"Ask away," he said, undisturbed.

"If you're such a perfect boyfriend why don't you have a girlfriend?"

Sesshoumaru looked in time to see her upset his cufflink collection. "Those are custom-order jewelry pieces, you do know."

"My bad," Kagome said, scrambling to pair them up and shoving them haphazardly into their velvet cushions. He left his papers and to assist her, replacing the cufflinks in one of the drawers and shutting the closet door firmly.

"I don't have a girlfriend, because they always trying to play with something of mine," he said ironically. "Like my hair. My ties. My cufflinks."

She didn't believe him one bit. "You have commitment issues," Kagome accused, stretching out of his bed.

"And if I do?" he countered. "One doesn't need to be a 'boyfriend' to treat a woman like a princess. Don't you find the word itself childish? Boyfriend."

"Okay, so be my manfriend," laughed Kagome, seeing the perfectly serious expression on his face. "What do you think people do before marriage? Before 'husband and wife' surely there was 'boyfriend and girlfriend'."

"Why bother? Your marriage will be arranged, surely you know that. As mine will be also."

"I object to that!" Kagome cried.

Sesshoumaru smirked at her. "Object all you want. By age twenty-five you'll be married to a suitable rich young man of your father's choosing."

"And you?" she said. "You will just marry some girl your father chooses for you?"

"Well, probably my father," he said, feigning thoughtfulness. "Though my maternal grandfather keeps taking an interest in my affairs as I am his only grandson. So maybe him."

"Well, lucky girl," sighed Kagome without thinking. Then she kicked herself. "I mean, to marry into your family must be such a great honor for all these common Japanese girls around."

"Of course," he said, glad she recognized just who the hell she had been so insolent to all this while.

The next thing he knew Kagome had whacked him on the arm. "Take that narcissistic look off your face, Sesshoumaru Taishou. For the sake of your future bride I had better train you to be more humble now."

"And perhaps," he said dryly, "for the sake of your future husband I should complete my task of training you. So you don't go around hitting men and playing strip poker all the time."

"Then be a man and do it!" Kagome challenged. "I'm sure he'll thank you when you've crushed my spirit into some weak, hopeless moping woman."

Weak and moping? Kagome Higurashi? Sesshoumaru wondered if the day would ever come, but if it did, they were all doomed.

* * *

Inutaisho and Izayoi sat in the First Class lounge at the airport in Seattle, waiting for their flight transfer to Tokyo. A familiar figure strolled up in smiles.

"Izayoi!" greeted Akihiro Higurashi. "And Inutaisho. Back from the honeymoon so soon?"

"There's only so much you can do in Vegas," sighed Inutaisho. "Besides checking out how casinos are run there. I mean, at our age, how much honeymooning should one be doing, really..."

"That's my friend, never shy," chortled Akihiro even as Izayoi turned bright pink. "I thought I'd come and say hi before you fly off."

"What a silly idea," Inutaisho said. "Don't just say hi, why don't you just come home with us to visit?"

Akihiro laughed. "And spoil all the fun the young people must be having? How are your sons, by the way?"

"Getting on fine with your daughter," Inutaisho said with a wink. "Thought you might like to start saving for a dowry."

"Oh really?" chuckled Akihiro Higurashi. "Then I'd better pack my bags and see for myself..."

**End chap 12**

**Hehehe.... Akihiro going to Japan... even I can't wait to see what happens myself...**

**Sorry to keep you guys waiting all the time, I hope some of the old fans are still out there. I've got Chapter 13 well under way and I'm also editing all the earlier chapters to improve the storyline =D So see you guys next chap! Suggestions, feedback and reviews welcomed.**

**Also who thinks Kikyou should be put in a good light? I haven't exactly said anything bad about her yet and I thought I might paint her friendly-like in this story...  
**


	13. A Time to Kiss

**Chapter 13: A Time to Kiss  
**

_An episode where the heroine develops a fascination with kisses._

Somewhere, far away, his phone was ringing. Sesshoumaru sat up stiffly, feeling his muscles protest as he did so.

Kagome was sleeping on his bed. That would explain his sleeping in an armchair. In his own room, of all things. Sesshoumaru wondered how he let her get away with it even as he picked up his phone.

"Sesshoumaru speaking."

"How are you this sunny morning!" roared his father jovially.

Sesshoumaru cringed slightly at his father's exuberance over the line. "Oh, are you back from your trip now?"

"Yes, and guess who I've brought with me?"

"Pray tell," sighed Sesshoumaru.

"Akihiro Higurashi!"

"What!" exclaimed Sesshoumaru, a little too hastily for his own liking. "I mean, pardon?"

Inutaisho was practically hopping up and down with glee. "Yeah don't tell Kagome yet. Oh, and I've called a directors' meeting for this morning in one hour, I thought I'd show Akihiro what the casino has been doing and where our strategy is headed. So don't be late! I'm off to have blueberry muffins with Akihiro now so see you soon."

Biting down curses Sesshoumaru splashed water on his face in the bathroom before heading to his closet in search of a crisp shirt and tie, hastily abandoning the one he'd slept in into a crumpled heap on the floor.

Kagome stirred from the bed and mumbled sleepily, "Jesus, Sesshoumaru, do you have to take off your shirt like that."

"You have a problem with my bare chest?" he demanded.

Arrogant prick. "Well, it's called modesty, Sesshoumaru," Kagome yawned, rolling off the covers and stretching languidly.

He arched a thin eyebrow. "This coming from you and your morbid obsession with strip poker," Sesshoumaru stated, re-buttoning a fresh shirt.

"You know you don't dare to play with me cause I'll win."

Sesshoumaru made a disbelieving noise.

"I should get up," Kagome sighed. "Maybe take a walk. Oh – is how you do your hair?"

She watched in fascination as he ran long fingers quickly through his hair in the mirror. This was followed by the perfect execution of a tie knot, and finished with a careless splash of expensive cologne.

"You seem to take great interest in this," Sesshoumaru commented. "Now if only you could channel the same interest into your own morning routine."

Kagome looked offended. "Well, excuse me, but you didn't even use a brush!"

"Call it a privilege of being male." Sesshoumaru reached for the door and paused. "You'll be fine by yourself?"

"Of course!" huffed Kagome. She stalked over to the balcony and threw open the windows, inhaling the fresh morning air.

It was going to be a perfect morning.

* * *

It was going to be a perfect morning, Sesshoumaru could tell. Never mind that he entered the conference room five minutes early; the table was already full of distinguished men his father's age, all looking at him with expectant faces.

"Glad you decided to join us, Sesshoumaru," Inutaisho said. "Sorry we didn't leave you any blueberry muffins."

"That's... okay." Sesshoumaru slid into the last empty chair on his father's right.

"We have plenty to discuss today so I hope you didn't have too late a night out," said Inutaisho and the room chuckled appreciately.

Akihiro Higurashi was grinning widely. "Now, Sugimi, you know young men and their fancies. I'm sure our Sesshoumaru here is highly popular amongst the ladies."

The rest of the room seemed to think this was a very funny joke. Somehow Sesshoumaru doubted Akihiro Higurashi would have such an amused, fatherly grin on his face if he mentioned it was Kagome Higurashi who had slept over in his room last night, so he said nothing except to smile graciously.

"Anyway, shall we begin?" Inutaisho said. "First on the agenda – share prices."

Sesshoumaru reached for the copy of the meeting brief in front of him and opened the first of ten pages.

There was nothing quite like a lengthy meeting with his father and his old buddies. Especially when they were all dimwits or mellow old men who took everything as a joke. Eyeing the glass of water set in front of him warily, Sesshoumaru wondered just how many pitchers he would go through on this particular day.

* * *

As she had decided earlier in the day, Kagome now strolled lazily down one of the hotel's manicured gardens. She stopped to tie the laces of her tennis shoes when all of a sudden a large shadow loomed over her, blocking the sunlight.

"My, it's Kagome Higurashi, isn't it?"

Three young women stood before her, their expressions bordering somewhere between dislike and pure hatred. All three had perfectly curled hair, high-heeled shoes and expensive handbags.

"Finally managed to tear yourself from the Taisho boys?" asked one of them nastily.

Kagome stood slowly. "Well, it's not like I was exactly glued to them in the first place, but -"

"Oh please," added the second girl, her diamante earrings glinting in the sun. "We're not stupid."

"Nobody told you to come here and steal our men here in Japan. Why don't you just go back to America," complained the third.

"Yeah, go back already!"

Kagome considered smacking them all on the face, but decided it wasn't quite worth the effort. Summoning a casual smile, she shrugged haughtily. "Can't stand the competition?"

"It's not like there's much to compete for anyway," yawned a feminine voice from behind Kagome. "It's Yuka, Ayumi, and Eri isn't it... I heard from Inuyasha how you were begging him to take you to dinner."

It was Kikyou, who was looking at the three girls with distaste.

"Kikyou!" snapped Yuka. "What are you doing here?"

"My boyfriend lives here," Kikyou said with a hard smile. "Because some of us have prospects, unlike you three girls."

"Go to hell, Kikyou," snapped Ayumi. "And take Higurashi with you." Saying that the three girls turned on their heels and stalked away brusquely.

"Who are they?" stared Kagome, still a little shocked at the sudden viciousness of otherwise sweet-looking young women.

Kikyou tossed her head. "Yuka, Ayumi and Eri – they are junior models at my agency. Everyone made a fuss about them at first, but they are whiny and immature and haven't had any contracts in a long while."

"Oh, that's right, you won the Miss Osaka contest and became a supermodel from then, right? Bankotsu mentioned it…" Kagome said. "But I don't see how I could have offended those three girls considering I haven't actually met them before."

"Does _Fash!On Japan_ ring a bell? How about Ayame, the second coming of Coco Chanel?" Kikyou reminded patiently. She pulled out a glossy magazine from the depths of her Gucci tote bag and handed it to Kagome. "Here."

"Ohh." Kagome's eyes grew round at the full-length shot of herself and Sesshoumaru on the front cover. "Right…"

The photo Ayame had chosen for her cover shot was of the two of them in a loose embrace. With Kagome grabbing his shirt in the most possessive manner imaginable, and with Sesshoumaru looking extremely smug.

"What is up with that picture!? I am _not_ possessive!" Kagome proclaimed to Kikyou in indignation.

Kikyou laughed. "Well, that tends to be more Sesshoumaru's problem, I'll agree."

They found a shady bench and sat. "You've gone out with both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, haven't you?" Kagome said curiously, remembering something Inuyasha had shouted once.

"Inuyasha, we're on and off. Sesshoumaru, we're done," Kikyou clarified.

"And I take it you are on now?" giggled Kagome.

Kikyou lowered her voice coyly. "Very much on."

"Really! No wonder I haven't seen Inuyasha around for awhile!" Come to think of it Kagome hadn't heard from him since the renewal of vows. "So who's the better catch, the older or the younger?" Kagome added jokingly.

"Well, for me, Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru's out of my league," confessed Kikyou. "I'm famous now, but when I'm old and ugly it won't change the fact that my parents are middle-class workers."

"That's harsh," Kagome said, shaking her head.

Kikyou brushed it off easily. "Inuyasha is fine. He's not the heir, he can do whatever he wants, up to an extent, that is. And we get along, Inuyasha and I. I mean, sometimes we hang out in his room - when we're not, um, _you know_ - and he lets me rummage around in his closet."

Kagome nearly choked on her own spit, blushing slightly. "He does, does he?"

"Mostly to throw away all his old clothes... Inuyasha needs me to clean out his wardrobe," Kikyou said confidently. "But I mean, I could _never_ do that with Sesshoumaru, he'd kill me. Don't you think?"

"Right. He would too," Kagome agreed hastily.

"Hm. You two seem to get along," Kikyou observed. "From what I saw at the renewal, at least."

Kagome tried to laugh it off. "Me? And him? We've had our moments, trust me."

Truth being that her head was still filled with the shirtless body moment from this morning.

"Well at least he's not out of _your_ league," teased Kikyou gently.

"What? Him? And me? Never – what?" spluttered Kagome. "I don't think our personalities are very… compatible."

Kikyou flipped open _Fash!On Japan_ to a random page and shoved the magazine in Kagome's view. "It would appear otherwise," she said slyly. "Very much otherwise."

* * *

The directors' board meeting was still going full swing.

"Of course, we intend to change the supplier of our playing cards. They will make the new cards out of durathene plastic, which cannot be marked with pens, or easily counterfeited," Inutaisho was saying. "This will certainly eliminate even the smallest chance of cheaters at the tables."

"But the cost of changing suppliers?" questioned one of the directors.

Sesshoumaru stifled a small yawn. "It will involve breaking our contract with our current suppliers, yes, but we intend to buy over most of the production company anyway, so it is doubtful they will sue. Of course, negotiations for pricing are underway with the new contractors."

"And you are in charge of these negotiations?" Akihiro Higurashi asked.

"Actually Inuyasha and I are both working on this project. He has covered most of the groundwork with their side, and I have scheduled final meetings with the company directors for next week as well."

There were a few nods and murmurs. Inutaisho took the opportunity to call a break. "Gentlemen, perhaps we can reconvene tomorrow? It will give you time to review all we have covered so far."

All five hours of it, Sesshoumaru mumbled mentally as they got up to leave. His father called him back.

"Sesshoumaru – do you know where Kagome is?"

He paused. "I'm not too sure."

"You don't know?" repeated Sugimi Taisho.

"Perhaps with Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru volunteered. God, he didn't have the energy to track that girl's every single movement, did he? Unless she was mistakenly on a bus to Osaka again, Kagome would probably show up soon enough.

"Well, if you don't know..." His father waved him away in dismissal. "That is all."

* * *

"Oi, Kikyou! There you are!" Inuyasha glanced at the two girls perched on the bench chatting gleefully and felt his male alarm bells going off.

Something about women's conversations freaked Inuyasha out. It was either about commitment, clothing or cramps. Foreign territory to Inuyasha either way.

"Hi, Inuyasha," Kagome and Kikyou said with equally friendly tones.

"Okay, I'm missing something," Inuyasha mumbled.

"No, no," Kagome insisted. "Kikyou was just mentioning how, um, you two got back together again this time. It's the fifth time, is it, Kikyou?"

"Fifth indeed," Kikyou said tragically. "You know what makes me keep coming back, Kagome?"

"Do tell," Kagome said with a wink at Inuyasha.

He held his breath.

"It's the kissing!" Kikyou said flirtatiously. "I mean, Inuyasha is such a great kisser."

His jaw dropped. "Sorry?"

"Don't be sorry!" Kagome insisted. "It's great you're such a good kisser. I mean, I wish I was a good kisser."

Inuyasha snorted. Okay, he was not exactly dumb enough to believe their crazy flatteries – well, he was a fairly okay kisser, wasn't he? Now that Kikyou mentioned it none of his ex-girlfriends had ever complained, had they? "Well, I, um…"

"Everyone should learn to kiss," declared Kikyou. "Kagome, I'd get Inuyasha to teach you but remember he's my boyfriend, you understand…"

They exchanged sneaky smiles. "Oh, I understand perfectly, Kikyou…"

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Inuyasha stared. "Is this some kind of test you two are playing at?"

"No -" Kagome stopped mid-sentence. She stared at two figures in the distance. "Is that my _father_?"

Sure enough, it was Inutaisho and Akihiro Higurashi strolling the grounds too. Well, at least it meant Sesshoumaru's meeting was over.

"What are you all chatting about?" Inutaisho smiled.

"Dad! What are you doing here?" Kagome asked, hardly believing her eyes.

Akihiro gave his daughter a peck on forehead. "I would ask how are you, dear, but you look like you were having fun."

"We were talking about what a great kisser Inuyasha is," Kikyou piped up with a grin. "Anyway, I have to go. See you two later!"

"Kagome!" Akihiro began.

"Really, what was that about!" Kagome said, her face flaming red. "I really wouldn't know…Er, Kikyou! Wait up!"

And as such Kagome fled the scene giggling crazily with Kikyou all the way.

* * *

She assumed Sesshoumaru would be in his rooms; sure enough, when she knocked he opened the door.

"Oh, it's you," he said by way of greeting.

"Tell me, Sesshoumaru," Kagome said, marching straight in, "why haven't you taught me how to kiss?"

"I _beg_ your pardon?" He closed the door behind her.

Kagome plonked herself onto his freshly made bed, unashamedly messing up the pillows, and pulling the quilts around herself.

"I mean, you're even teaching me to walk, talk and eat, why not to kiss?" she challenged.

He carefully kept his face impassive. "I'd rather not get killed by both our fathers."

"Ah," Kagome said, sounding unimpressed. "Is that all?"

Sesshoumaru sat down carefully beside her. She was most definitely driving him crazy now, even without a steering wheel and fake license.

"Listen, Sesshoumaru, you have to admit, how am I supposed to fit into society if I can't ki -"

He cut her off with a long, hard kiss.

At that moment Kagome just felt sorry for every other girl on the planet who was not in her shoes.

Then he pulled away suddenly. Someone was knocking on the door.

Kagome muffled a grumble at her father's most inopportune timing yet again as she dove under the covers.

"Have you seen Kagome?" Inutaisho was asking.

It was like a constant refrain, every time his father wanted to talk to him he asked where Kagome was. Sesshoumaru opened the door a crack.

"Um, no. No, I haven't seen her."

"We were talking in the garden with her and Inuyasha then she just ran off!" Akihiro Higurashi was saying. "I'm so sorry you all have to put up with her bad manners…"

"Yes. Well." Sesshoumaru let his words ring.

"Why don't we all go out for dinner tonight?" suggested Inutaisho. "The parents and the kids."

Akihiro nodded enthusiastically. "That sounds good."

"Fantastic," Sesshoumaru said dryly. "Was there anything else?"

"Oh, no, you do your own thing," Inutaisho said. "Come, Akihiro, I haven't shown you my new massage chair, have I…"

"No, you haven't!" Akihiro said.

They set off at a slow pace.

"Nowadays I can feel my bones creaking in the morning…"

"Yes, we really should stop pushing ourselves so hard," agreed Akihiro. "Let the young people take over; we deserve retirement."

Inutaisho nodded. "I think we've built enough empires up now."

There was a weighty pause. Then –

"It would be a shame to let others ruin what we've worked so hard for our children," Akihiro began.

"Absolutely, my friend," Inutaisho said earnestly. "We need to keep it in the family."

"I think so too. Well, if you don't mind my Kagome's absolute blundering ways, she's really quite a good girl."

"Your daughter is an angel compared to my two boys. Absolutely incorrigible they are, really lazy and hopeless, but quite good boys underneath."

The two men looked at each other with stupid grins on their faces.

"You've been with them all this while, who do you think would hit it off better?" Akihiro asked bluntly.

"I'm not sure," Inutaisho said, deep in thought. "Personality-wise Inuyasha can be more warm and outgoing, like Kagome, and I'm sure they will make an excellent match. But Sesshoumaru _is_ my heir after all..."

Akihiro shrugged. "Whatever makes them happy. Didn't Inuyasha and Kagome seem quite friendly earlier on?"

"Yes, they were talking about kissing were they not!"

"So you think they'll be good for each other?"

Inutaisho shook his head."I cannot imagine why they would possibly object to each other."

* * *

When Sesshoumaru returned Kagome was looking at him with a dazed look on her face.

"I cannot believe I just did that," she said blankly.

"Well, it's fair enough that you come to the best for tuition," he shrugged.

This snapped her out of it. "Okay, you arrogant prick," Kagome said, narrowing her eyes. "You may be God's gift to women but it doesn't excuse your ego one bit."

"I'm wounded," mocked Sesshoumaru. "Do you want to kiss me better?"

That was tempting.

But no. Kagome could resist God's gift to women, she really could.

"No, err, better run," sighed Kagome after an eternity of deliberation and lots of self-control. "Did they say we were having dinner? I need to get ready."

Sesshoumaru eyed his wristwatch. It was still three in the afternoon.

A tremendous improvement for Kagome. Well, at least none of his efforts these past weeks had been in vain.

* * *

"Kagome!"

She jumped and nearly blinded herself with her mascara wand.

"Are you trying to blind your only daughter?" she complained as Akihiro Higurashi peered at her.

"Just trying to be friendly, thought I'd drop in on you," her father said, putting on a hurt voice. "I haven't seen you for so long."

"Just a couple of weeks!" Kagome said, shaking her head.

Her father paced back and forth. "Are you having fun?"

"As much fun as one can possibly have learning etiquette with Sesshoumaru Taisho," Kagome said lightly, carefully keeping her face blank to avoid revealing most of the juicy details.

"I see," said Akihiro. "But what about Inuyasha?"

"Yeah, Inuyasha's fun," nodded Kagome. "We get along really fine."

"That's good to know," replied her father strangely. "That's good to know."

* * *

"Where are we going to dinner?" Inuyasha asked from the backseat.

"The Ishikawa," Sesshoumaru said, driving.

"The Ishikawa? But I hate tempura," complained Inuyasha.

"Dad picked it," shrugged his brother.

There was a thick silence in the car. Kagome seemed lost in her thoughts as she stared out the front window. Fairly soon they pulled up at a traditionally elegant restaurant parked full of limousines and the odd Ferrari outside. Inuyasha hopped out, admiring the paintwork on Sesshoumaru's car.

"You didn't mention you were buying a new BMW," Inuyasha said enviously.

Sesshoumaru looked nonchalant. "I didn't exactly plan on it, no." Kagome's eyes met his and she coughed, hiding a quick smile.

"God how many cars do you need?" Inuyasha led the way into the foyer of the restaurant where a wave of cool air-conditioning washed over them.

"It's pretty cold here," Kagome said, wishing she hadn't left her coat in the car.

Inuyasha looked incredulous. "It's summer, Kagome." He would never understand females and their eternal state of cold.

"It's summer, which is precisely why I left my coat in the car," retorted Kagome.

"I'll get it," Sesshoumaru said. "You two go ahead."

"Well excuse me, Mister Inuyasha, we women aren't afforded the luxury of warm evening dresses," Kagome said, rubbing her hands over her bare arms.

"That's right, the more cleavage, the better," Inuyasha said comically.

"You're a pervert," declared Kagome cheerfully. She spied her father and Inutaisho in a corner and waved, practically dragging a bemused Inuyasha over.

"What's for dinner besides tempura, I'd like to know?" Inuyasha said, throwing himself onto a floor cushion dramatically.

"Inuyasha, please, do you have to be so picky?" sighed Kagome. "It's fried and battered. How can men not love that?"

She looked at the two fathers for confirmation and had a creepy feeling they were paying far too much attention to this light banter between Inuyasha and herself.

"Tempura? It's wimpy strips of fried seafood you eat with light soy sauce and grated daikon!" snorted Inuyasha. "There's absolutely nothing manly about that."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Because you're so _manly_, Inuyasha. That's what I love about you."

Their fathers continued watching the exchange with strange expressions on their faces.

"Well can we order, Dad? I'm starving," Inuyasha said. Without bothering to wait for an answer he flagged down a waitress. "Can I have a spaghetti, please?"

"Inuyasha!" rebuked his father. "We'll all have the chef's special set, thank you," Inutaisho told the waitress.

"What about my spaghetti?" Inuyasha asked, looking denied. "Look, Sesshoumaru's here. Sesshoumaru! You know you want spaghetti, right?"

Sesshoumaru shot him a withering look as he slid into the seat next to Kagome, who nearly snatched her coat from him in her eagerness to have it.

"It's nearly impossible to find good tempura overseas," Akihiro said, a little too loudly.

"You should move back here to Japan," said Inutaisho, a little too smoothly.

"I _should_ move back," laughed Akihiro. "Kagome, what do you think?"

Kagome thought she heard wrong. "Come again?"

Just then a very confused-looking waitress appeared with five sets of tempura and five sets of spaghetti.

"Excuse me," Inuyasha said, picking up his chopsticks unabashedly. "I might dig in first, everyone…"

Sesshoumaru pushed his spaghetti towards Inuyasha disdainfully.

Kagome gave up trying to concentrate on using her chopsticks to navigate the food and turned to her cup of green tea.

"What are we going to do in Japan if we move here for good?" queried Kagome, gripping her tea cup tightly between sips.

Akihiro glanced at Inutaisho. "I'm retiring. You can do whatever you want, Kagome. Go to college, get married."

Kagome dropped her cup, and even Inuyasha stopped and swallowed.

"To _whom_, exactly?" Kagome asked pointedly, feeling a blush creep steadily up her cheeks.

And then her father looked at Inuyasha.

**End Chap 13**

**Thanks to all you amazing reviewers again! I loved hearing from all you guys. More comments always appreciated 3  
**

**Also... I had a sudden inspiration last night. I realize most of you keep asking for a sequel to Love in the Corporate Ladder. Well, I really wanted to leave it where it was but I had an idea. So I might do a Love Beyond the Corporate Ladder. But would you read it? Yes? No? XD**


	14. Two Boys and a Girl

_**Previously, on Kyoto Summer...**_

_Akihiro glanced at Inutaisho. "I'm retiring. You can do whatever you want, Kagome. Go to college, get married."_

_Kagome dropped her cup, and even Inuyasha stopped and swallowed._

_"To whom, exactly?" Kagome asked pointedly, feeling a blush creep steadily up her cheeks._

_And then her father looked at Inuyasha._

_- - -  
_

**Chapter 14: Two Boys and a Girl**

_Of which, the wrong two are getting engaged._**  
**

For a moment, Kagome Higurashi thought she couldn't breathe, much less speak.

Inuyasha was less tongue-tied.

"_What_?" he spluttered, chopsticks clattering to the table.

The two fathers exchanged devious glances.

"Well, you really should grow up sometime, Inuyasha," Inutaisho said with a serious nod. "Start taking responsibility, think of settling down."

"But _now_?" stared Inuyasha. "But, I mean, but..."

"Well, this is interesting!" Kagome chirped in an unnaturally high voice.

"Isn't this a little out of the blue?" echoed Inuyasha, looking shocked.

Inutaisho and Akihiro didn't seem to think so.

Inuyasha looked helplessly at Kagome. Kagome looked helplessly at Inuyasha.

She gathered her wits first and smiled feebly at her father and Inutaisho. "I'm… honoured… but I really don't think I would be the right person for Inuyasha to marry."

_Think, Kagome, think of all the possible good reasons why you would not want to marry Inuyasha Taishou!_ Kagome screamed to herself. "That is to say," she continued quickly, "I am so hopeless at being a good wife. I cannot cook, or clean, or-"

The fathers seemed to find this hilarious. "Don't be silly, Kagome," Inutaisho said with a big smile, "you can have all the servants you want, dear. Nobody would ever ask you to clean a house."

"And you should be so lucky to have someone willing to marry someone like you in the first place," added her father.

Not working. Kagome thought harder for an excuse. Kikyou! Yes, Kikyou. "That is to say, Inuyasha already has a girlfriend!" Kagome practically shouted in excitement. "Now, I really couldn't come between the two. You have a girlfriend, right, Inuyasha? Tell them." She looked hopefully at him.

Inuyasha nodded quickly. "That's true."

"A girlfriend?" Inutaisho looked uninterested. "Well, is she from an upstanding family, may I ask? What does her father do?"

"Ki – Kikyou's a model," Inuyasha said carefully. "I'm not sure what her father does, but -"

"A model?" scoffed Inutaisho.

The silence following his question echoed.

"You're kidding, right? Inuyasha, you're not seriously hoping to marry a model, with a pretty face and no prospects, into our family?" Inutaisho said.

"I didn't say I was going to marry Kikyou," Inuyasha said angrily. "In fact, I don't recall saying I wanted to get married at all!"

Kagome winced slightly. Suddenly all the glitter and glamour of the high life was gone. This, she mused, was the true face of the wealthy. A snobbish, harsh reality.

It all came back to money. Who had the most of it, and who was continuing to make more. Whose money was the oldest, and who was merely nouveau riche. And whose families one should marry into to keep the money in the family.

Inutaisho looked stern. "Well, as long as you're not intending to marry just anybody from the street, you can have a girlfriend or two now, that's fine. A few flings, that's fine. God knows your brother is always having some kind of fling every time I call on him…" Inutaisho turned his eldest son.

Kagome cast a flustered glance in Sesshoumaru's direction. _Say something. Say anything. Say something!_ Both she and Inuyasha were barely grasping at straws with the fathers who seemed so keen on getting them married.

Sesshoumaru, well, he looked as impassive as always, and was being particularly taciturn this evening.

"Hey, now that I think about it," Inuyasha said suddenly. "Sesshoumaru! He's older! I really think it's not proper for me to get married before he does."

Inutaisho looked at his younger son like he was an idiot. "I have never heard of that rule."

"You two don't have to get married right away," Akihiro also added. "Just engaged first."

Kagome sucked in her breath. "Dad, it's not like Inuyasha and I don't get along. We get along great. But we're just _friends_."

"Then I don't see the problem," her father said, looking puzzled.

"Well…" Kagome trailed off agonizingly. How did she explain to her father that being friends did not equate marriage material? Or was it too much of a modern concept to explain to these two old men?

Honestly, Inuyasha was funny and kind and amazing. But he was currently with Kikyou. And as much as Kagome would never have admitted it aloud, Inuyasha was nothing, nothing, _nothing_ compared to Sesshoumaru.

Deep down, she wondered if she would be so adamantly against an arranged marriage with Sesshoumaru Taishou. Yes, her father had no right to dictate her future husband, but what if, what if, said future husband was to be Sesshoumaru.

Kagome fiddled nervously with the hem of her napkin and avoided everyone's eyes. He was getting to her. God damn it, a few measly weeks with Sesshoumaru Taishou and he was really getting to her…

Unfortunately there was no way she could stand up and shout to her dad, "Screw Inuyasha! I wanna get married to Sesshoumaru!"

Inuyasha raised his jaw defiantly. "Fine, if you old geezers have to be so old-fashioned. If I have to get married – or _engaged_, whatever – then I insist Sesshoumaru must too."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome stared in consternation. What he really needed to be saying was, "NO MARRIAGE. Not, no marriage unless Sesshoumaru joins in!"

"I guess traditionally the oldest should set the example, huh," Inutaisho said thoughtfully. He raised an eyebrow at Sesshoumaru. "I don't suppose, out of all the numerous affairs that you have – I don't suppose a least a few of them are from a good family?"

"Yes, don't be shy," Akihiro said easily. "Even just yesterday when your father and I stopped by your room after the board meeting you were with a... friend, were you not?"

All eyes settled on Sesshoumaru.

"Well." Sesshoumaru cleared his throat delicately. "I didn't realize my _affairs_ were going to be the topic of discussion per se…"

The following conversation would surely test the upper limits of his diplomacy skills. He could blatantly deny what happened yesterday with Kagome and save them both from the scrutiny of their parents.

But doing so could very possibly upset Kagome herself. Even though it was her fault she had made him kiss her. Because he really hadn't wanted to, Sesshoumaru kept telling himself firmly. It just happened.

_Self-delusion_, a voice at the back of his head said scornfully.

"Um, we don't really want to hear about Sesshoumaru's, er, friends and activities in his spare time, right?" Kagome cut in hastily, getting a bad feeling in her stomach on where the conversation was headed.

"Anything to take the heat off our impending 'engagement'? Hell yes I want to hear it!" Inuyasha muttered to her.

Ignoring Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru tilted his head leisurely and fixed his gold eyes on Akihiro Higurashi. "I suppose you would be correct in your earlier assumption that yes, I was with a certain young lady yesterday."

Kagome kicked him under the table. But it was difficult to get a good vicious kick as he was sitting directly beside her. His face revealed nothing, though.

"Oh? But she is from an upstanding family, at least?" queried Inutaisho.

His son shrugged. "Fabulously well-connected and affluent, both in Japan and overseas. One of our finest families, no doubt."

"Please tell me she was at least hot," Inuyasha said. "I mean, some things are non-negotiable, okay?"

"Well surely this girl's family must already be acquaintances with us, don't you, think," Inutaisho said, and Akihiro nodded in agreement. "What was the last name again?"

Kagome kicked Sesshoumaru again. Hard.

"What was it, did you say?" asked Sesshoumaru, drawing his words out languidly.

"Yes, her last name?" repeated Inutaisho, and even Inuyasha looked interested.

Sesshoumaru smirked. "Higurashi, I believe it was."

* * *

At first the parents hadn't even understood properly.

"Higurashi?" Inutaisho frowned as if he were trying to recollect someone. "Akihiro, you don't have any distant relatives with daughters or anything, do you?"

Kagome gaped at them both.

Akihiro shrugged. "Nope, not that I can recall. Kagome, you don't remember any cousins on our side, do you?"

Apparently two cutthroat businessmen who had built empires worth millions were that naïve.

"Cousins?" spluttered Kagome. "Of course we have cousins! You know, your uncle's cousin's son's granddaughter's sister? Very pretty girl, about twenty years old? Lives in Hokkaido?"

"In Hokkaido?" Akihiro looked like he was straining his memory very hard. "We have relations in Hokkaido?"

"AHH!" Inuyasha scraped his chair back, leaping to his feet and nearly falling over at the same time. "You!" he accused, pointing at Sesshoumaru. "And _you_!" he said to Kagome.

They both remained silent. The silence of the guilty.

"You have no cousins in Hokkaido; there are no hot chicks in Hokkaido, okay!" Inuyasha continued, eyes darting back and forth between his brother and Kagome.

There was a protracted silence while the fathers did two and two and got four.

"Kagome?" stared her father.

"And Sesshoumaru?" stared his father.

"Yeah, you, I'm going to sock you," Kagome mumbled to Sesshoumaru. "Then murder you. And kill you."

"Mm. I wouldn't make any bets on that if I were you," he whispered back.

"Wait, the two of you?" repeated the fathers.

"Yum, cold spaghetti," sighed Inuyasha, picking up a mouthful and shovelling it mechanically down his throat. At least talk of his marriage would be off the radar for now.

Inutaisho recovered partially, only to begin raving.

"Sesshoumaru! You can't go around seducing innocent young girls like Kagome!" he raged. "What on earth were you thinking!"

"She asked for it," Sesshoumaru shrugged.

"_Sesshoumaru_!"

"I did not _ask_ to be seduced!" Kagome clarified indignantly. "And there was no 'seducing' going on, okay? So we kissed! Fine! Dad, close your mouth, it's not like what you are all thinking, especiallyyou, Inuyasha, so stop grinning like a maniac there!"

Really, the way they were reacting… it was as if it were the end of the world.

"Kagome felt she needed to learn kissing etiquette, that's all," Sesshoumaru said smoothly, delivering this new piece of information with a perfectly straight face.

"_Kagome_!" said her father reproachfully. "I doubt you can even arrange flowers properly yet, just what is this about learning kissing etiquette?"

"You are in trouble, young man," Inutaisho said, glowering at his eldest son.

"Oh, so that's what that whole _Fash!On Japan_ shoot was all about," sighed Inuyasha as though he'd discovered the answer to the universe. "Kikyou showed me the magazine."

"What magazine?" demanded Inutaisho.

"Just a photo shoot," Kagome laughed lamely. "I mean, nothing special. We thought we'd just have some pocket money, I mean, I thought it would be good to make a couple of bucks since getting the car off Kagura and whatnot…"

Sesshoumaru winced.

"You bought a car off Kagura?" Inuyasha asked like he couldn't believe it. "What car? Kagura doesn't sell – ohh. Ohh." He coughed. "Was this a BMW by any chance?"

"Okay, for someone who isn't in the loop you're finding out way too much!" spluttered Kagome.

"You bought _Sesshoumaru_ a car!?" exploded Inuyasha.

Everyone seemed to be speaking extremely emphatically that evening.

Sesshoumaru put on a pained expression. "She wrecked the Lexus."

"Kagome - you _drove_ in Japan?" Akihiro said, looking at his daughter.

"Nooooooo…" Kagome said slowly. And falsely.

Her father looked like he was about to faint. Even Inutaisho looked like he was having trouble keeping up.

"So, you'd rather marry Sesshoumaru…?" Akihiro Higurashi said.

"Why does anyone have to get married just so you two can retire?" asked Kagome exasperatedly.

The two older men looked like they had never considered this before.

Sesshoumaru rose from the table. "I might call it a night. I have an early day tomorrow."

"Yeah, me too," Kagome said, jumping up after him. Anything to get away from this table of awkwardness.

Inuyasha, too, stood reluctantly to leave.

Inutaisho and Akihiro stared at each other.

"We'll talk to these children tomorrow," sighed Inutaisho.

Either way, two of them were going to get married, whether they liked it or not.

* * *

A few tables away, shaded in the corner, Naraku and Onigumo were sharing a platter of tempura when they observed the little drama unfolding at the Taishou and Higurashi table.

"Inuyasha and Kagome? Married?" Onigumo said distastefully.

"Unfortunately that impertinent bitch will probably cry until Daddy lets her get her way. Which would mean matrimony with that Sesshoumaru Taishou, no doubt," Naraku said angrily.

He hated those two. Sesshoumaru Taishou and his arrogance, Kagome Higurashi and her spoilt self-importance. They had both insulted him, and worse, effectively shut down a major section of his cocaine ring. His monetary losses were untold.

"Sesshoumaru Taishou and Kagome? Impossible!" laughed Onigumo.

"You'd think he would have better taste," Naraku said sourly, forgetting that he too had once tried to pick Kagome up. "But I didn't hear him objecting furiously like Inuyasha was!"

"If, _if_ there is an engagement between Sesshoumaru Taishou and Kagome…" Onigumo said slowly, an evil smile spreading on his twisted face.

Why, he knew the perfect way to ruin it.

**End Chap 14**

**A/N: ****OMG guys, thank you for your reviews!! I can't believe we are so close to 1000... and this being only Chapter 14! Never fear, Chap 15 is already underway and will be delivered... asap. XD**

**Special thanks to the following reviewers for your wonderful support!**

**Crescent Dreams **(man it's been awhile!)**, Lady Serpentina, ****, kutiekat53, IrisAyame, iloveprettysilverhair, sabakunomikaela, animelover4ever456, Blinky Blix **(hii I remember you!)**, SesshomarusPegasus, REDWOLF47, angelapage, LadyLuna-chan, Peyton Cummings, kagomesirene, hentai18ancilla, and last but not least, ishala8 (thanks ishala :D)**

**See you next chap guys!**** As always, feedback and cookies welcomed.  
**


	15. A Mansion Outside Kyoto

_**Previously, on Kyoto Summer...**_

_"If, _if_ there is an engagement between Sesshoumaru Taishou and Kagome…" Onigumo said slowly, an evil smile spreading on his twisted face._

_Why, he knew the perfect way to ruin it._

**Chapter 15: A Mansion Outside Kyoto  
**

_Ladies and gentlemen... enter the Patriach of the show.  
_

It was a very quiet ride back from the restaurant. Kagome didn't trust herself to speak. Sesshoumaru... was just being Sesshoumaru. Occasionally Inuyasha would break out in curses about Inutaisho and Akihiro for their idiocy, but by the time they neared the hotel he had dozed off soundly in the back.

Unlike Inuyasha, Kagome slept very, very badly that night.

It was so like her father to drop huge, life-changing surprises on her like that. One day it was, "Oh, Kagome, let's pack and ship you off to Japan!" The next minute it was, "I'm here to announce your engagement! TO INUYASHA!"

Not that she had to worry about marrying Inuyasha. They had made themselves crystal clear that they were not suited for each other. And assuming her father then took it upon himself to engage her to Sesshoumaru Taisho instead… well, it wouldn't be the end of the world, would it.

Which brought her to the true source of her sleeplessness – what if Sesshoumaru reacted with abject horror at being engaged to her?

Come to think of it, he hadn't even sounded particularly jealous when Inuyasha had been announced as the lucky fiancé-to-be of Kagome Higurashi. Sure, Sesshoumaru had sounded very smug when he'd admitted that his _fling_ was actually her (the bastard). But other than that he hadn't batted a single jealous eyelash that evening.

If he wasn't jealous of Inuyasha, did it mean… that Sesshoumaru didn't like her?

What a nightmare. Kagome was starting to fear that after a few weeks in Japan she no longer harboured any dislike for Sesshoumaru. Au contraire, it was as though she was beginning to see past his arrogance.

Well, there was no way anyone could see past that sheer narcissism, but Kagome was not ready to admit that his arrogance was that damned attractive.

She needed to clear her head. Still awake when pinkish rays of morning sun were beginning to peer through the window, Kagome gave up trying to sleep. Sorely in need of coffee she decided to head for Miroku's café downstairs for something potent to cure her thoughts from Sesshoumaru Taishou.

* * *

He was exhausted – who knew that two old men could cause so much stress – yet Sesshoumaru did not sleep after they returned from dinner.

First there was his father's impending retirement to think about. Retirement for Inutaisho would ultimately mean even more responsibilities for Sesshoumaru. Damn the lazy old man, Inutaisho was still a few years shy of his official retirement age. Sesshoumaru detested pretty phrases like 'early retirement' and 'passing the reins over'. They were polite euphemisms for, 'let's officially shirk our duties and enjoy life while our sons slog for us'.

Then there was his father's bright idea to discuss engagements with remarkably brilliant timing. Of all things to spring on them – the old man just couldn't forewarn Sesshoumaru, could he?

His cell phone vibrated gently in his pocket, interrupting his mental tirade. A message from Kagura, reminding him about being punctual _tomorrow_. He flicked his eyes to his wristwatch. Trust Kagura to remember the date.

If he bothered to read his mail anymore Sesshoumaru knew that among the mountain of letters he would find a white envelope with an invitation – no, a summons – from his grandfather.

There was a memorial service he needed to attend…

It was held every year at his maternal grandfather's home in the mountains of Kyoto. Sesshoumaru needed to get away from his father's grandiose plans anyway. Even if just for a day, he didn't want to hear anything about retirements or engagements until after he got back.

Feeling strangely out of sorts he slid open one of his closet doors and began searching for a black tie.

* * *

The man was very old, but by no means elderly as he slowly tied his black _hakama_ around his waist. There was a knock at the door.

"Ryuukotsei-sama," bowed his first retainer. The fear and respect in the man's voice was real. "We have the information on the girl you requested for."

Ryuukotsei glowered at the man. "Kagome Higurashi, did you say?"

The retainer bowed. "Yes, my lord. The girl is the daughter of millionaire Akihiro Higurashi, born in Japan but otherwise raised in America."

"So they are wealthy?" snapped Ryuukotsei.

"Yes, my lord. However, it is as your lordship feared… the girl remains uneducated. I have confirmed from reliable sources that up to a few weeks ago she could not even use chopsticks."

"So what," growled Ryuukotsei, "is she doing wasting my grandson's time?"

He picked up a letter on his desk, written with brush and ink - the proper way to conduct written communications. Now he reread the letter, written to him from a certain person called Naraku.

_Dear Ryuukotsei-sama, _

_Forgive my impertinence for writing to you in such an abrupt manner. My name is Naraku Kuroda. I write concerned your honourable grandson, Sesshoumaru Taishou. I have reason to believe – and fear – that he will soon be engaged to Kagome Higurashi, a foreign girl with no class and no culture, chosen by Inutaisho…_

_It pains me to think that your honourable bloodline would be tainted by such a union, and -  
_

Ryuukotsei did not read anymore. There was a vile taste in his mouth, which was always the case when Sugimi Taishou came to mind.

Sugimi Taishou, or Inutaisho, or the man who ultimately killed his daughter; he could go to hell before Ryuukotsei would let him have a say in anything to do with Sesshoumaru's future. The absolute _nerve_ of the man to pick his grandson's future bride without even consulting the grandfather. And to pick such a hopeless chit of a girl at that, who according to Naraku's letter could not even walk properly in kimono and liked to talk back to men.

After his daughter's death, Ryuukotsei only tolerated Sesshoumaru living with Inutaisho because of the education Kyoto could offer him. But now that the boy had graduated with top honours from Kyoto's most illustrious education institutions there was absolutely no need for Sesshoumaru to waste his talent managing Inutaisho's evil gambling house.

He would die before saying it, but it hurt him that his grandson showed no interest in maintaining contact with him. (Ryuukotsei did not believe in computers. He did not care about email, or cell phones either.) And now to receive a letter from an utter stranger, this Naraku person, saying that his only grandson was to be married to some whore!

Grimly, Ryuukotsei made his way downstairs slowly, gnarled fingers clutching the wooden banister. He would see just who the hell this Kagome Higurashi was, and he would send the bitch home crying.

* * *

The coffee had perked her up, but it did nothing to clear her head from _him_. Evidently Kagome needed to complain to Miroku about his coffee bean supplier.

Heading back towards the elevators upstairs, she spotted what looked like Kagura waiting on the far end of the lobby. Sure enough, Kagura soon saw her and waved her over.

"Morning, Kagome!" Instead of her usual sexy designer wear and jewelry, Kagura wore a sombre kimono in pure black, complete with black obi and small pearl earrings.

Essentially, traditional mourning clothes.

"Kagura! Good morning… did something happen?" Kagome couldn't help but stare.

"Nothing to worry about," Kagura assured her. "I just have to attend my aunt's memorial service."

"Your aunt?" Kagome asked dumbly. But that could only mean –

"Sesshoumaru's mother," Kagura nodded.

Kagome froze on the spot, her mind whirling. That was right, they were cousins… but Sesshoumaru hadn't said anything at all to her yesterday. Well, he didn't usually tell her any of his plans anyway, but his mood had been so perfectly normal…

However now that she thought about it, Sesshoumaru had mentioned last night that he had an early day tomorrow.

"He didn't exactly mention it, right?" Kagura said knowingly.

That was so like him, Kagome mused with a sigh. "No one else said anything either though," she said. "I mean, Inutaisho and Inuyasha were too busy screaming about upcoming engagements, and -"

"Ah, Inutaisho is not invited," Kagura told Kagome matter-of-factly. "My grandfather Ryuukotsei hates him."

"He _hates_ Inutaisho?" Kagome found that hard to comprehend. "But… that's Inutaisho's wife that _died_. Surely your grandfather would allow him to-"

"Make no mistake, there are some people that even Inutaisho won't cross," Kagura said solemnly. "His father-in-law, for example. Oh, good morning, Sesshoumaru!"

Kagome spun around. Sesshoumaru really needed to stop that unnerving habit of sneaking up on her. Who knew how long he had been standing there listening, albeit impassively, to her and Kagura?

"Sesshoumaru…" Kagome said uncertainly.

Damn, no one quite pulled off a black suit and tie like Sesshoumaru did.

"I was telling her we are going to Grandfather's today," Kagura said, restating the obvious.

Kagome's mind raced. How the hell did one react to these situations. Saying, "I'm very sorry for your loss," would be redundant, but "Have fun!" would be downright insensitive.

He was watching her with a strange expression on his face. "Would you like to come?" Sesshoumaru asked finally.

"I -" Kagome hesitated. "Are you sure you're okay with me coming?"

"Oh, do come, Kagome, Grandfather will have a fit," said Kagura. "But I've been dying for the opportunity to piss him off," she added happily.

Before either of them could get a word in otherwise Kagura had dragged Kagome back to her room to change into something. On this occasion it was a black Dior dress suit, which she threw on along with a pair of black pumps while Kagura rummaged for panty hose.

Downstairs a dark limousine was waiting outside by the fountains in the driveway. Kagome was no expert, but even by the standards she was used to seeing, this limo was impressive.

They found Sesshoumaru inside, nursing a shot of iced tequila from the mini-bar behind the driver's seat.

"Sesshoumaru! It's seven in the morning!" Kagura reprimanded condescendingly.

She then proceeded to retrieve the rest of the bottle and gulped deeply from it, while Kagome fought back cackles of laughter.

"I'll need this to get through the day," Kagura said flippantly. "Just to let you know, my grandfather is a traditional misogynistic patriarch who lives in the 1800s. Women are for breeding and decoration only."

"Oh?" Kagome could not imagine how anyone so misogynistic could have such a forceful granddaughter like Kagura.

"When you meet my grandfather," Kagura continued grimly, "I wouldn't even bother trying to impress him, because in his eyes anything you say, do or think will be irrelevant. Because you were not born with a penis. Right, Sesshoumaru?"

"I would never dare disagree with you, Kagura," Sesshoumaru said with a generous smirk.

"See? Tequila for breakfast always helps his personality." Kagura told Kagome.

"Are you close to your grandfather?" Kagome asked him.

"I've been avoiding him," he replied shortly.

"So you see," sighed Kagura, "we'll be in for a fun day today."

* * *

"Inuyasha, where is Kagome?"

"Am I my sister-in-law's keeper?" mocked Inuyasha. First thing in the morning and his father was already knocking on his door asking about Kagome. The old man really had too much spare time on his hands.

"I am so shocked you and Kagome don't want to marry," sighed Inutaisho. "Such a good match too!"

"Yeah, yeah." Inuyasha was unimpressed. "You really don't read the signs, do you? Those two think they are really subtle but they are _not_. Honestly, I don't think I've seen Sesshoumaru spend as much alone-time with any woman since… well, never."

Inutaisho frowned at his second son. "And you're saying everyone knows this?"

"Not _everyone_, ok." Inuyasha scratched his ear. "They haven't exactly done anything but yell and huff at each other in public. The yelling and huffing being mostly on Kagome's part, I must say."

His father coughed. "As a matter of fact," announced Inutaisho grandly, "I had a talk with Akihiro Higurashi last night after dinner, and since you all feel so strongly about it, we were thinking of Sesshoumaru marrying Kagome instead. But we thought we'd ask your opinions first."

Inuyasha clapped his hands cynically. "Ah, precisely what you should have done the _first_ time."

"So, you don't know where Kagome is?"

"Er, er, er, I dunno, perhaps, _with Sesshoumaru_!?" Inuyasha yawned. "Just a blind guess, mind you."

Inutaisho looked highly skeptical. "You do know Sesshoumaru has gone to his grandfather's today, right… I doubt he's got anyone except Kagura with him."

Ryuukotsei detested Sugimi Taishou and Inuyasha, but even if they had been granted permission to attend one of Misaki Taishou's memorial services, Sesshoumaru always went alone.

"Well there you go," sighed Inuyasha. "I said they were subtle."

* * *

Kagome stared awestruck at the majestic villa the limousine drove slowly towards. Designed in the traditional Japanese manner, it was nestled amongst the mountains in the outskirts of Kyoto, covered with lush bamboo forests amid trickling waterfalls. The busy heart of Kyoto seemed a million miles away.

She wondered what kind of man lived in this sort of place.

"My grandfather built it," Kagura said, "before he turned twenty."

"He must be a very capable man," Kagome said.

A row of servants dressed in black were waiting as the car pulled up. One of them opened the door. The rest bowed simultaneously.

"Welcome home, Sesshoumaru-sama, Kagura-sama."

Sesshoumaru said nothing to the chorus line, merely straightening his black suit and tie as he marched past them towards the house. Kagura and Kagome followed closely behind him.

There was a maid who slid open the shoji doors and knelt at the entrance. "Please come in. The rest of the guests are assembled in the receiving hall -"

"Oh please, take your time," coughed an old man angrily, glowering at the three of them. "After all, you have kept everyone waiting already."

Although he was physically old, his voice was still authoritative and strong. Kagome realized this could only be Ryuukotsei, the man who was Sesshoumaru's grandfather.

"We apologize, Grandfather. The ride from Kyoto is long," Sesshoumaru said smoothly, bowing slightly.

"Tardiness is unacceptable," snapped Ryuukotsei abruptly. "Is this how you honour your mother's memory?"

"I'm sorry, it was my fault they waited for me to get ready -" rushed Kagome. "I -"

Ryuukotsei turned burning eyes on her. "Do not presume to interrupt, woman."

And Kagome realized with a nervous swallow they were off to an extremely bad start.

**End Chap 15**

**Again, THANK YOU to all my reviewers. You guys are so inspirational! I would love to especially thank** LadyLuna-chan (you are so sweet!), kutiekat53, taylorklass2012, Pflow, SesshomarusPegasus, Che, REDWOLF47, IrisAyame (thank you for keep a tab open, you're such a darling!) animelover4ever456, IsabellaXMoon, Azumigurl, Ichigo Mirai, Crescent Dreams (thank you for the cookies, ilu! S2), Angela Page, Roozu Doll, Lady Serpentina, sabakunomikaela...

And also Tamaki Bocchama, who was review #1000...

Thank you everyone who's supported Kyoto Summer through thick and thin!

**Happy Easter all, and see you in Chapter 16!  
**


	16. In Her Memory

**_Previously, on Kyoto Summer..._**

_Ryuukotsei turned burning eyes on her. "Do not presume to interrupt, woman."_

_And Kagome realized with a nervous swallow they were off to an extremely bad start._

_- - - - - - - - - - -  
_

**Chapter 16: In Her Memory**

_A scene of remembrance_

"Sesshoumaru, who is this person?" Ryuukotsei questioned coldly.

Even Kagura held her breath.

"This is Kagome Higurashi," Sesshoumaru said calmly, unfazed by his grandfather's evident hostility. "I asked her to join us."

"Is that so?" Ryuukotsei did not spare a glance in Kagome's direction. He turned away abruptly. "Come. We must get started."

They followed Ryuukotsei to a large hall infused with a faint fragrance of burning incense. There were about fifteen or so guests, whom Kagome assumed were relatives. Just about everyone looked as stern and haughty as Ryuukotsei.

It was obvious which side of the family Sesshoumaru took after in that regard. The thought tickled and Kagome smiled a little.

Ryuukotsei coughed furiously, glaring at her.

Meekly, Kagome knelt and sat between Sesshoumaru and Kagura, the latter winking at her.

The Buddhist priest holding the service began to chant from a prayer book.

To say Kagome felt out of place would be an understatement. She had never been to a traditional Japanese memorial service before, and had no idea what was expected of her. Worse, she had the feeling Ryuukosei was watching her every move like an angry tiger ready to pounce.

She couldn't really concentrate on the priest. Instead, Kagome found her eyes drawn to an ornate shrine at a corner of the room. It held a picture of a breathtakingly beautiful woman with fragile features but spirited eyes.

With a jolt, Kagome realized she was staring at the face of the woman who was Sesshoumaru's mother.

The resemblance was unsettling. Kagome had thought Sesshoumaru resembled his father, but having now seen Misaki Taisho she realized he had inherited most of his looks from his mother. (And thankfully none of Ryuukotsei's scowling face.)

The solemn mood was beginning to get to her. Kagome felt like reaching out, even just to touch Sesshoumaru. But something told her Ryuukotsei would classify this shamelesss breach of etiquette unforgivable, and she remained as quiet as a mouse.

* * *

It was an annual affair, this memorial service. While Sesshoumaru respected his mother deeply he had no patience for the long services his grandfather favoured. Flowers on grave he could do; Buddhist priests and irritating relatives he did not appreciate.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kagome fidget, just a little.

Actually, he was amazed she was still sitting upright. Sesshoumaru was certain Kagome was not in the habit of sitting on the floor, Japanese-style, for more than a few minutes at a time.

Finally, the priest rung a bell three times and bowed. People were getting up to move out of the room, casting odd glances at the three of them but saying nothing. Ryuukotsei looked grim.

Kagura had shuffled over to Kagome, highly sympathetic but amused. "Can you walk?"

"Er, no," Kagome admitted, blushing lightly. She'd never bothered to sit Japanese-style before, certainly not for such an extended period. She wasn't sure what was worse, the pain of her legs going numb or the feeling of blood rushing back to them.

Perhaps it was his fault he hadn't made her practice _sitting_, though Kagome would have murdered him first anyway. "Can you feel your ankles at least?" Sesshoumaru asked her matter-of-factly.

"I'm fine…" Kagome mumbled with a smile. "Just give me a few minutes."

In an instant the patriach was upon them.

"Is there a problem?" Ryuukotsei asked sarcastically, though it was clear to him the stupid girl couldn't even sit gracefully for an hour without signs of distress.

"No, no problem at all -" Kagome said anxiously.

The old man looked like he did not trust her at all. "Well, since there is no problem, Sesshoumaru, you will come with me."

His grandson looked unenthusiastic. "May I ask where?"

Ryuukotsei tried to be patient with this constant questioning of his authority. "We need to talk," he said stiffly. "Upstairs."

They entered his grandfather's study, an oppressively masculine room even by Sesshoumaru's standards. Huge maps of feudal Japan were piled in one corner, and a number of rusty swords hung on the walls.

"Sit down," commanded Ryuukotsei. Sesshoumaru complied, and his grandfather sat opposite him, a grim look on his face. "Tell me, what is it you intend to do with your future?"

They were back to this old topic. His grandfather would begin pushing for him to move away from Kyoto.

"I am keeping my options open," Sesshoumaru said cautiously.

"I don't see why you need to keep your options open," Ryuukotsei said bluntly. "Leave all the nonsense in Kyoto. You must assume your role as my heir."

Sesshoumaru took a breath before answering. "With respect, I do not think I would be suitable -"

"Yes, you would rather have your fast cars, fine Western clothes and voluptuous whores!" barked his grandfather. "That bastard Inutaisho has taught you no values in all your years. Your mother would be so proud!"

This would lead to a tirade about how his father had treated his mother so badly. Having heard it on no less than fifteen occasions, Sesshoumaru braced himself.

"Do you know how much I detest having you brought up by a man who spared no thoughts for his _wife's_ feelings, and instead had a bastard son by some whore from the fish gutters?"

Sesshoumaru couldn't really defend that.

"Bad enough Inutaisho disgraced the whole family by taking on a whore, then he had the nerve to ask your mother to recognize his spawn as a legitimate heir as well!" spat Ryuukotsei. "Unbelievable! I am only relieved your mother did not let him have his way!"

His grandfather was really gaining momentum.

"And you know that bastard Inutaisho killed your mother," Ryuukotsei said ominously.

"It was an accident," Sesshoumaru quietly reminded his grandfather.

"IT WAS HIS FAULT!" screamed Ryuukotsei, and Sesshoumaru was tempted to lean away slightly from his grandfather's fury. "HE DROVE HER TO IT!"

Shoulders shaking, Ryuukotsei gripped the edge of the table like he was about to pick it up and fling it at the wall. Sesshoumaru was silent.

"How dare you say it was an accident," spat Ryuukotsei. Saying this, he tossed a letter his grandson. "And what is this about you marrying a worthless girl picked by your idiot father!"

"What girl?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"That girl who cannot even sit properly, that's who," snapped Ryuukotsei.

Even as he scanned Naraku's letter Sesshoumaru had a sinking feeling that word had reached his grandfather about a possible engagement with Kagome Higurashi. How the hell Naraku knew about it he didn't know, but no wonder Ryuukotsei had been particularly vicious on meeting Kagome.

"Kagome and I are not engaged," he told Ryuukotsei.

"You expect me to believe that," Ryuukotsei said furiously. "Why did you bring her here otherwise?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "I don't believe that is any of your concern."

In a flash his grandfather viciously backhanded Sesshoumaru, moving with incredible speed for a man his age.

"Do not think that I will tolerate disrespect, even from you," Ryuukotsei hissed. Rising abruptly, he stalked out of the room, already regretting his outburst yet unable to face the loathing in his grandson's eyes.

* * *

"Check out this bonsai," Kagura said, poking a miniature tree.

They were in the garden, killing time and also hiding from the rest of Kagura's relations. Said relations were either highly snooty and did not deign to glance in their direction, or highly overbearing – one aunt took it upon herself to recommend her brand of birth control pills to them.

"Bonsai, huh." Kagome absentmindedly kicked over a pot, and rushed to turn it upright. "So what's the deal with your grandfather?"

"Oh, him," Kagura said. "He hates clever women, and since his daughter passed away he's hated everyone."

They began watering one of the tiny trees. "What happened, really?" Kagome wondered.

Kagura sighed. "Long story. Basically Inutaisho and my aunt Misaki had been close friends from childhood. Naturally the two families assumed the two would make a good match, and arranged their marriage." Sick of bonsai, Kagura moved on to a flower bed. "According to my mother, even as a couple they were still friends rather than lovers."

"Then Inutaisho met Izayoi?" guessed Kagome.

"Exactly right. He fell madly in love." Kagura shrugged. "Such is life."

"Misaki Taisho knew?"

"She knew and she approved at first," nodded Kagura. "After all, she and Inutaisho were never romantically attracted. But she insisted that Sesshoumaru remain Inutaisho's only heir. Which became a problem when Inutaisho decided he wanted to legitimately recognize Inuyasha as his son. It drove a wedge right between them."

Kagome didn't really get it, so Kagura explained. "In Japan, the permission of the legal wife is needed to recognize any secondary children," said Kagura. "Misaki, of course, refused to legitimize Inuyasha, which ultimately turned the marriage sour. After years of arguments, Misaki decided to leave for London for good. The private jet she was flying in exploded."

"Exploded?" gasped Kagome.

Kagura shrugged. "No foul play. Ryuukotsei had investigation teams combing the debris for years. Inutaisho himself was devastated. They had been best friends after all. It was declared an accident... though I think Misaki may have arranged her own death."

"She killed herself?" Kagome looked shocked.

"Japanese inheritance rules," began Kagura, "allows a child to inherit everything their parent had, include assets held in joint names. Anything Misaki owned solely, Sesshoumaru inherited immediately, but also everything she owned with Inutaisho, is now held in trust between Inutaisho and Sesshoumaru."

Kagome tried very hard to digest all this.

"Essentially," continued Kagura, "Sesshoumaru can't touch the money until his father dies, but Inutaisho can't let Inuyasha into the family inheritance either unless Sesshoumaru agrees."

"But for Misaki Taisho to orchestrate her own death just to protect an inheritance?" Kagome said numbly.

"Well, we're talking billions here, right," Kagura reasoned. "People have started wars for less, you know."

"Kagura-sama!" A maid rushed up to them. "Excuse me for interrupting, but your Honourable Mother is on the phone from Italy."

"Yes, in Italy, lucky bitch," sighed Kagura. "Away from Grandfather's moods. Kagome, just give me one sec, okay?" She put down her bonsai.

Kagome smiled weakly and waved her on. She explored the rest of the side gardens by herself instead, following a winding path of stepping stones through misty bamboo trees and tiny streams. This led to a steep, rocky climb uphill which, to her surprise, ended in a well-kept but isolated graveyard.

Tall, polished white stone markers lined neatly in rows, each inscribed with the names of past members of the family. Some were very old, judging from the greying cracks in the stone. Others were newer, made of gleaming marble.

Amidst the stones Kagome saw a solitary head of silver bowed in front of an elegant grave.

Kagome realized she had never seen Sesshoumaru alone, just by himself, since coming to Kyoto. Every hour, every minute, every day he spent surrounded by people demanding his attention. Sometimes they were scum like Naraku and Onigumo, but often it was his father, or brother, or his employees, and come to think of it, especially herself. And even now she had followed him here. Kagome wondered if she had gone too far into encroaching on his personal space.

Ironically their relationship thus far had been nothing but invasions of each other's personal space. Yes, Sesshoumaru had physically carried her around, threw her into bathtubs, chose her hairstyle and dictated her underwear. Then Kagome had stolen his tequila, totalled his car, combed through his closet and messed up his bed at will.

Etcetera etcetera. Yet now she approached him hesitantly, not sure if she should steal up silently so as not to interrupt him, or whether she should make a noise to tactfully announce her presence.

"Kagome."

She froze like a guilty child when he said her name.

"What are you doing here?"

He didn't sound angry, just quiet, and when Kagome walked up to him she saw that he looked exactly the dispassionate self he always was.

Well, what had she expected, tears?

"I thought... you might want company," Kagome said softly.

Sesshoumaru said nothing for awhile, merely contemplating the space before him. The girl had internal radar when it came to searching him out. Beside him Kagome bowed deeply before the gravestone, clasping her hands in a respectful prayer. Only slightly graceful, but sincere beyond description.

Quietly, she slipped a warm hand into his cooler one. This raised an eyebrow, but he didn't draw away.

He wasn't sure why he had asked her to come today. But having Kagome around was an unlikely release. Arguing with her was vaguely therapeutic, considering he usually – no, always – won. And her wild mood swings were so extreme they could be counted as fascinating.

At the moment, Kagome looked pale and withdrawn. "Kagura… mentioned what happened…"

"Oh, did she?" Her hand was clutching his so tightly he wondered who was really giving comfort to whom.

"Was it really an accident?" Kagome asked shakily.

Sesshoumaru didn't reply for awhile. "There is no evidence against it," he said finally. "Kagura thinks it was a suicide, doesn't she."

"Why? All she needed to do was refuse to accept Inuyasha…" _She didn't have to abandon you_…

He wore a strange expression. "Exactly one week after she died, the Cabinet passed new inheritance laws to allow all children, legitimate and illegitimate, equal claim to their parent's wealth." Which would have allowed Inuyasha claim to at least half of what their father had.

It was then that he noticed the fat tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Are you okay?" he asked with uncharacteristic gentleness.

"Yeah," Kagome said, brushing her eyes with the back of her palm. "I'm so sorry. I just remembered something, that's all."

Sesshoumaru didn't press her, but somehow he knew exactly what she was thinking. After all, Kagome too had lost her mother.

"I'm really okay!" she said brightly, with a big smile. "Really, I am -" Kagome stopped, and peered unexpectedly at his face.

"Oh my god, did someone _hit_ you?" She stared at a fading red mark on his left cheekbone.

He recoiled involuntarily. "No."

"That bastard!" exclaimed Kagome. "I'm... going to kill him."

Somehow she didn't sound as fired up as she normally did when she threatened to kill people.

Quickly, she turned and hurried away. She was going to kill that stupid Ryuukotsei, yes, but the reality was that she didn't want Sesshoumaru to see her cry.

**End Chap 16---**

**A/N: A bit of a history lesson today! I tried to keep any angst to a minimum, and hopefully next chap we can get on to happier things.. or maybe not, haha.**

**Thank you everybody for reviewing, your encouragements (and essays, from some of you ^o^) are really appreciated! I've tried to reply to any questions and suggestions via PM this round as well. **

**As usual, special thanks to the following reviewers:**

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**Stay tuned for Chapter 17...**


	17. Blackberry Bonsai

**_Previously, on _****_Kyoto_****_ Summer…_**

_"That bastard!" exclaimed Kagome. Quickly, she turned and hurried away. Partly because she was going to kill that stupid Ryuukotsei, but mostly because she didn't want Sesshoumaru to see the tears streaming down her face..._

**Chapter 17: Blackberry Bonsai**

_Antagonist versus protagonist... and the camera rolls on._

Kagome and Ryuukotsei. No, specifically, an upset Kagome and an unreasonable Ryuukotsei. It didn't take a fool to recognize the danger signs, and Sesshoumaru was no fool.

"Wait," he said, grabbing her by the wrist. "He's not worth it."

The words echoed awkwardly in the quietness surrounding them.

"You're right," Kagome sighed after awhile. "I don't know what I'm doing anymore." Deep down she knew that picking a fight with Ryuukotsei would not help the situation... but he made her so _angry_.

"Ryuukotsei is not an easy man to get along with," conceded Sesshoumaru.

"It's not like I was going to bash him or anything," Kagome sniffled. "Maybe just yell around a bit."

They sat on a shady stone bench and watched the wind ruffle through the leaves.

"I don't know what's gotten into me," Kagome muttered after awhile, wiping her eyes, determined to change the topic. "I'm not usually so emotional."

Not emotional? Sesshoumaru very magnanimously decided to humour her on that one.

"...Do you think I'm emotional?"

Women. They had to push it, really. Sesshoumaru kept it blunt. "Kagome, you are the most high-strung person I have ever met."

"Oh."

"But that is not a bad thing."

She looked up brightly. "Oh?"

He thought hard. "It… makes you unique."

They began a slow walk back to the house. Retracing her path through the gardens down the hill, Kagome found herself growing steadily calmer again. "Is this the only time you see your grandfather?" she asked Sesshoumaru.

"You could say," he replied. "Once a year."

Ryuukotsei had to be lonely sometimes. Kagome pitied him. "Maybe he's misunderstood."

"I sincerely doubt that," Sesshoumaru said.

They reached the bottom of the hill. "Hey, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome said, feeling strangely at peace. Maybe it was the tranquility of the place. Maybe it was just the effect of talking to him.

"Yes?"

"Maybe I should tell him a joke or two. Help him lighten up."

Sesshoumaru did not believe it would be a good idea. "Despite your best intentions, Kagome, my grandfather is not a joke person. He made a career out of politics."

"Oh is that what you are supposed to do, if you become his heir?" Kagome asked, interested.

"Politics, yes." The way his lip curled suggested he didn't think very highly of getting into politics. This made Kagome chuckle a little despite the situation.

She decided to tease him a little. "I think you would make a very good politician."

His expression was priceless. Kagome hummed under her breath. "I'm trying to pay you a compliment here."

"A compliment?" Sesshoumaru repeated.

"You know, _you_ should lighten up a little. Laughter is the best medicine," Kagome told him. "Don't you think?"

Sesshoumaru didn't believe so, and he told her as much. Kagome dismissed him immediately. "Kagura will back me up, too," she said authoritatively.

Kagura had always struck him being as more of a pessimist. "She might not," Sesshoumaru cautioned.

"Let's bet on it," sighed Kagome, and grabbing his hand she dragged Sesshoumaru off to find Kagura.

* * *

Kagura was, at that moment, hiding in one of the smaller tatami rooms typing furiously on her Blackberry. It wouldn't bode well for her, or anybody for that matter, if her grandfather caught her using any form of evil Western technology in his house.

Ryuukotsei hated computers. He detested the modern way of doing things, with all the disgusting modern food, disgusting modern manners, and overall disgusting culture. He did not 'do' hamburgers, or movies, or kissing, thank you very much. He wore kimono only and ate white rice three times a day. Naturally he had not installed broadband or Wi-Fi in the house and the only reason why they had electricity was because the light bulb was invented before World War II.

For Kagura, a day at her grandfather's usually meant eight torturous hours without phone reception or internet access. At least that had been the case until the invention of smart phones and satellite internet. Still, if Ryuukotsei caught her tapping away on a phone there was no telling what sort of tantrum he would kick up.

Sneakily, she was in the middle of composing an email to her on-and-off boyfriend, the famous kabuki actor Hiten, when a message from Inuyasha appeared.

"_You're with Kagome at Ryuukotsei's right? Everything okay?_"

"Fan...tas...tic," muttered Kagura, tapping the keys. "He hasn't thrown things at her yet." Compared to how things had gone down when Ryuukotsei last saw Inuyasha, it was a significant improvement.

Back home in Kyoto, enjoying the comforts of an ice-cold beer and air-conditioning (Ryuukotsei didn't believe in anything but Japanese sake and folding fans), Inuyasha laughed out loud. Leaning forward he typed a quick reply to Kagura.

"And Kagome hasn't lost it at him yet?"

"Surprisingly no," Kagura wrote back. "There were some edgy moments but they've been civil."

Knowing Sesshoumaru's angelic grandfather, Inuyasha doubted the peace would last. "Wait till Ryuukotsei finds out they're getting engaged."

Kagura squinted at the screen, wondering if her eyes had finally given up in the darkness. "Engaged?"

"Yeah, thank god it's Sessh and not me!"

Inuyasha didn't reply again, and Kagura mumbled a curse. Obviously Inuyasha was not the kind to indulge in gossip or small talk, and while Kagura appreciated taciturnity in the male species, this was the worst possible time ever. Sesshoumaru and Kagome engaged? Kagura nearly choked with laughter. Considering they had been about to kill each other a few weeks ago, it would take at least a few miracles to get them to agree to marriage.

Sighing, Kagura shook her head and amazement. Whoever came up the _that_ bright idea... well, Kagura wondered if they were really thinking straight. Mind you, it wasn't that she thought they were completely unsuitable for each other, but to use the phrase 'fire and ice' would be an abject cliché in this case.

She was dying to confront the couple in question. Kagura was about to set off in search for Kagome and Sesshoumaru she was halted by an anguished roar reverberating through the walls of the house.

"_SAPLING!?_"

Confused, Kagura recognized her grandfather's voice. The old man definitely didn't sound thrilled. She wondered just what the hell Ryuukotsei was doing shouting about plants now, and decided to stay closeted in her little room for a while longer.

* * *

Some people say hindsight is 20-20, and Sesshoumaru couldn't have agreed more.

In hindsight, he should have whisked Kagome all the way back to Kyoto when they first crossed paths with Ryuukotsei in the hall. The girl had been in no emotional condition to think straight, and with his grandfather in one of his usual bad tempers, the explosion had been inevitable.

The story went like this. Apparently, Kagome had accidentally kicked over one of Ryuukotsei's bonsai plants earlier, and when the patriarch had gone to check on his prized ninety-year-old maple bonsai, he'd found a crack in the pot. The old man had immediately blamed the foreign visitor with no refinement as the obvious culprit, and was determined to give a piece of his mind to the brainless wench who had injured his bonsai pot.

It didn't help matters when Ryuukotsei spotted them, Kagome placing her unworthy hand on his grandson's person, leading Sesshoumaru around the house like some domineering shrew.

"Married already?" Ryuukotsei said sarcastically, stopping them in the middle of the hall.

"No. Sorry to disappoint," Kagome said smartly, attempting to sidestep the old bastard, tightening her hold on Sesshoumaru to piss the old man off.

"And where do you two think you are going?" asked Ryuukotsei dangerously.

"Leave us alone," Kagome said flatly.

"I would have, gladly, but that was before you put your ungainly feet on my bonsai!" snapped Ryuukotsei.

"What, those saplings?" She shrugged casually, her thoughts on other things. "Yeah I might have kicked one. My bad."

In hindsight, at this point Sesshoumaru should have gagged her there and then. He doubted if Kagome knew each plant was valued at about eight hundred thousand yen. Then again, that knowledge would probably have inspired her to kick it again.

"_SAPLING_?" Ryuukotsei exploded. "You uneducated woman!"

His yells shook the shoji screen walls.

"_Uneducated_! Look who's talking! I don't think I've heard anything intelligent from you yet other than insults and curses," Kagome shot back, ignoring the warning headshakes from Sesshoumaru. "You know, I don't see what makes you think you're entitled to push everyone around, but don't you dare try that with me!"

For Kagome's own safety, Sesshoumaru decided it was time to intervene. "That's enough from both of you," he said sharply, with an especially dark look at his grandfather.

"I'm not done with you yet," Ryuukotsei roared. "Don't think I will overlook your insolence just because you're under the influence of that sl -"

His eyes bulged. Somewhere in the middle of his tirade, Kagome had taken his wrinkled old hand between hers, and held them up gently.

"Ryuukotsei-sama," she began, "I am so very, _very_ sorry you had to go to so much trouble today. After all, a crack in a pot – of _course_ it would mean so much to you. I don't know how I can _ever_ compensate your dreadful loss… Please, if there's anything I can do, like buy you a new one, I will be sure to send you a bank cheque for three dollars. Wait, forgive me, I should send it in Japanese yen…"

Ryuukotsei leapt away as though stung. "You dare patronize me!" he screamed.

"I said we're done," Sesshoumaru said firmly, meaning it even if he had to physically cart Kagome away, who looked like she was ready to hug Ryuukotsei now. "Grandfather, Kagome will send you your cheque."

Ryuukotsei looked thoroughly affronted. "Y – you – you two -"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "See you next year."

* * *

"That could have been worse," mused Kagura, lying flat on one of the seats in the limo sending them back. "Much worse. The old man is getting mellow."

They were on the ride back home, and Kagura was itching to ask about certain information she had obtained from Inuyasha. But it wasn't a good time to breach the topic – Kagome was still waging war with Ryuukotsei and Sesshoumaru has gone into pensive mode.

Kagome coughed. "Sure, mellow. Sesshoumaru can I please, please send him a new pot? Preferably plastic?"

Kagura snorted in laughter. Kagome seemed to have instinctual knowledge of what would piss Ryuukotsei off the most. "Come to think of it, he's had worse tantrums, right, Sesshoumaru?" Kagura said. "He must be getting really desperate for you to succeed him."

"Succeed that old loser?" Kagome said in horror. "Sesshoumaru, you can't be serious. After sending him his bonsai pot let's cut all ties."

Cut all ties, sure. Sseshoumaru tried to ignore the two of them. If he closed his eyes maybe they would get the hint.

Glass bottles started rattling against each other. Kagura had to be digging through the mini-bar. "You don't intend to get into politics, right, Sesshoumaru?"

Eyes closed. Eyes closed.

"Shoot, we're out of tequila! Sesshoumaru, how could you?!"

"If I recall correctly, you drank it all," Sesshoumaru pointed out.

Kagome was looking at him. "What kind of politics does Ryuukotsei want you to get into?"

"Ryuukotsei is some Imperial Household politician, no one's sure what he does except for hanging out with the Emperor," Kagura answered for him, taking a sip from a scotch bottle and making a face. "Argh, disgusting stuff…"

"I think Sesshoumaru would make a great politician," Kagome said innocently.

Her attempts at innocence hardly deceived him; Sesshoumaru looked sour. "This Sesshoumaru disagrees."

Kagome laughed at his face. "Gracious, you could be turning into a second Ryuukotsei by the time you're sixty if you're not careful!"

Sesshoumaru gave her a warning. "Kagome Higurashi, you may have gotten away with patronizing my grandfather, but do not think you will get anywhere with me."

"Jesus, Sesshoumaru, lighten up. At this rate you won't be getting anywhere with any chicks, that's certain," Kagura said. "Is it me or are we not moving?"

They hadn't noticed the car had not been moving for awhile. Kagome peered outside. There was hardly any traffic. In fact, they were just about the only people on the road.

"I'll go ask the driver," sighed Kagura.

Before she could open it, the door sprang open. Blocking the last dim rays of sunset, Naraku smiled maliciously at them, fingers held over the trigger of a loaded gun. Pointing it at Kagura's head, he motioned for them to get out.

"Sorry, Ryuukotsei's orders," Naraku said with a horrible grin. "This wasn't my idea at all."

"Yeah right, you filthy liar," Kagome said, eyes flashing. "I bet you were the one that gave him the action plan."

"Shut your mouth," Naraku said coldly, turning the gun on her. "This is your only warning, Miss Kagome Higurashi."

"Naraku!" Growling, Sesshoumaru lunged at him delivered a hard punch to his jaw.

Two shots rang out. Kagura screamed as Sesshoumaru went down. Onigumo emerged from the shadows and walked towards them. The gun in his hands was still smoking slightly.

"Always work in pairs, I say," sighed Onigumo. He trained his weapon on Kagura and Kagome. "Don't either of you stupid bitches move."

Naraku pulled himself off the ground, his lip spilt. He strode over to Sesshoumaru and gave his ribs a vicious kick. "An arm?" shouted Naraku at Onigumo, wiping blood off his mouth. "The idiot does this to my face and you only shoot his _arm_?"

"Do you think Ryuukotsei will pat you on the forehead it you kill his precious grandson?" Onigumo said like Naraku was the biggest idiot in the world.

"Just how do you think you're going to get away with this?" Sesshoumaru spat, blood streaming from his arm and shoulder.

Naraku scowled. He grabbed Kagome from Onigumo and pressed his gun to her temple. "Listen up, Sesshoumaru Taisho, if you try to do anything, I will kill this girl, and I would be doing the world a favour."

"Go ahead and try," Kagome hissed despite the sweat trailing down her back.

Another car pulled up slowly beside them. The door opened and a stooped, ugly beast of a man came out.

"Doctor Mukotsu! Just the person we needed," crowed Onigumo. "We have casualties."

Kagome saw the doctor approach. Even if his face wasn't ugly enough to scare, the lascivious look in his eyes were frightening. Whoever this Mukotsu Doctor was, he looked like a quack, or worse, someone who had lost their medical license. Mukotsu brought rope with him, and between him and Onigumo they began tying the three of them up. "Naraku, don't do this," breathed Kagome. "Why are you doing this?"

"To get on the seven o' clock news," Naraku said sarcastically. "And I thought I told you to shut up. Mukotsu, you take the other girl back to Kyoto as planned. Onigumo and I will take Taisho and Higurashi."

"He might bleed out," Mukotsu said with a pause.

Onigumo seemed to consider this. "That would not be good. You two go together, I'll take Kagura."

"Load of bullshit," Naraku jeered. "Mukotsu just wants to feel Higurashi up in the car."

"Like hell!" yelled Kagome. Onigumo ignored her and threw her into the backseat of one of their own cars, before pulling Kagura away to another vehicle.

"Just kidding, Higurashi," Naraku said, a feral gleam in his eye. "Just kidding."

**End Chap 17---**

**A/N: **

**I understand from one of you reviewers it is no longer in fashion to reply to reviews on the story page itself and I'm sorry that some of the earlier chapters have that. A few years ago didn't provide for PM systems. So unfortunately for newer readers... you'll have to bear with the older chapters!  
**

**Many thanks to the wonderful feedback for the last chapter. More conflict to come, so see you in Chapter 18!  
**

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	18. Disappearing Act

_**Previously, on Kyoto Summer…**_

"Load of bullshit," Naraku jeered. "Mukotsu just wants to feel Higurashi up in the car."

"Like hell!" yelled Kagome. Onigumo ignored her and threw her into the backseat of one of their own cars, before pulling Kagura to another vehicle.

"Just kidding, Higurashi," Naraku said, a feral gleam in his eye. "Just kidding."

**Chapter 18: Disappearing Act**

Naraku hummed a little tune as he drove down the deserted road. This was his moment of glory, his crowning achievement. He had Sesshoumaru Taisho and Kagome Higurashi, and he was going to exact a little revenge on the meddlesome two while he had them under his control. Even better, he was going to get paid handsomely for his troubles. No doubt Inutaisho and Akihiro Higurashi would be tripping over themselves to fork out good money for their precious spawn.

By now Onigumo should be reaching Kyoto with the other whore, Kagura, and if everything worked out perfectly Inutaisho and Akihiro Higurashi pay ransom by morning. Of course, there was the little matter of buttering up Ryuukotsei, whom Naraku hadn't exactly consulted yet on what to do next. But Naraku was certain once he handed Ryuukotsei his heir on a golden platter, with full assurances that Sesshoumaru would succeed him obediently, Ryuukotsei would reward him fully.

He hadn't counted on the Higurashi girl being so attached to Inutaisho's older brat, but it only worked all the better for him. Naraku fully planned to use the two against each other to further his perfect plans for the future.

Except that Kagome Higurashi really had problems doing as she was told. Things like, keeping quiet, for instance. Despite his worst threats she was intent on annoying the hell out of him by asking him where they were going, what they were doing... Naraku had never come across such an obstinately loud-mouthed bitch. Obviously she'd never been smacked across the face and told to shut up by a man, or else she'd be far more compliant. But no matter. Naraku would have his vengeance.

"Naraku!" There the bitch went again. Kagome was kicking the back of the driver's seat to get his attention. "Naraku, listen up, you bastard!"

"What?" barked Naraku.

Mukotsu had haphazardly tied a bandage around Sesshoumaru's arm, but that had been awhile ago, and as far as Kagome could see it wasn't helping much. He was unconscious and she could barely hear his shallow breathing anymore. Angrily, she kicked Naraku's seat again. "He'll bleed to death if you don't do something!"

"I wouldn't worry too much about Taisho," Naraku said, peering in the rear view mirror. "The most annoying people never die."

Kagome would have punched him for that. Not to mention, reality had more than sunk in by now and she was beginning to feel truly terrified.

"Maybe I should take a look." Mukotsu said finally.

Naraku ignored him and continued driving.

"I won't forgive you," Kagome said, heart racing. She gave Naraku's seat a final kick with her legs.

The car screeched to a halt outside a deserted building.

"This," Mukotsu said creepily, "used to be a brothel."

"It says Hotel right on the signboard," Kagome said, pointing to broken signage at the front of the building. That doctor was one sick maniac and she didn't buy any of his bullshit.

"Well, whatever this place is," Naraku said nastily, "I hope you enjoy your stay, Higurashi."

"I assure you we won't be staying long. What on earth does Ryuukotsei want from us that he couldn't have asked us in person?" demanded Kagome.

"Get the girl and bring her inside," Naraku ordered Mukotsu. "Before I kill the annoying bitch."

Mukotsu seemed far too happy to oblige, and tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Kagome squirmed and shrieked and cursed all the way inside, until Mukotsu dropped her onto a hard floor. Naraku followed with Sesshoumaru. "What now?" Mukotsu asked.

"I dunno, maybe, er, save his life?" glowered Kagome.

They were in an abandoned room, cobwebs growing in corners. There was no furniture, but Kagome could see imprints in the worn carpet where tables and chairs and a bed had once been. There was no light, but the moon outside streamed in through the cracked windowpanes to brighten the shadowy room.

"Untie the girl," Naraku said. He wasn't worried that she would run. There was no place for her to run to unless she intended to trek three hours to the nearest city. But knowing the likes of Higurashi she would never leave without Taisho, which was all the better for Naraku.

He leant over Kagome, eyes glinting dangerously, as Mukotsu cut the rope binding her. She flexed her free arms gingerly and glared at him.

"Miss Higurashi," Naraku began softly, "I believe have I told you once, twice, no - three times, to _shut up_."

She screamed at his proximity and tried to shove Naraku away.

"You know, you were always one uncooperative bitch," Naraku snarled. "Lucky for you, I don't hit girls." Saying that, he grabbed Sesshoumaru's left arm and twisted his elbow until Kagome heard a grotesque crack. His wounds began bleeding again, and when Kagome rushed to try and apply pressure he felt dead cold. Heart racing, she turned to Mukotsu.

"I don't care what you two do to me," breathed Kagome. "Take him to a hospital and I'll be quiet, I swear."

"Oh, yes," laughed Naraku. "Like you can be quiet. I'll let Mukotsu look at him. Mukotsu!"

"Only if the girl gives me a kiss," complained Mukotsu.

Naraku sneered at Kagome. "Well, you heard him."

Kiss that horrible creature? Kagome felt faint. Any minute her dad would burst into her room and wake her up. This was a dream. Japan was a dream. She was still in her bedroom in America with nothing to worry about.

He merely cackled at her. "That's his punishment for you being a chatterbox, Higurashi. I don't hit girls." He waved at Mukotsu. "Fix Taisho, will you? And if you do a good job, and maybe the girl will sleep with you."

The fury on the girl's face was worth it, and Naraku laughed madly again.

* * *

"So, Onigumo," Kagura purred in her most suggestive voice. "I heard you're into bondage."

"Ah, you know my weakness," sighed Onigumo. He tried to concentrate on the road. But Ryuukotsei's granddaughter was one tempting bitch.

"Aren't you lucky that Naraku made Mukotsu go with Kagome in the end?" Kagura sighed. "You can bet Mukotsu's already taking advantage… if you know what I mean."

Onigumo shook his head. If she thought he'd succumb to her great beauty… well, she was smarter than he'd thought. He didn't trust himself not to salivate.

"Put this way," Kagura said quietly. "Naraku is bound to screw up anyway. I know my grandfather, and he will murder Naraku for harming Sesshoumaru."

A shiver of fear ran down Onigumo's spine. "Ryuukotsei… didn't exactly ask Naraku to kidnap you lot."

"Pardon?" Kagura stared.

"Naraku's idea was to hijack you all. He will now demand ransom from both Inutaisho and Ryuukotsei. In the meantime he'll threaten to kill the Higurashi girl and make Sesshoumaru Taisho promise to become Ryuukotsei's heir… and for that he'll get on Ryuukotsei's good side."

"I… see." Kagura put on her most caring face, and smiled at Onigumo sadly. "But Naraku will fail, badly. You can feel it in your flesh and bones."

She could already see Onigumo salivating for her. Kagura steeled herself. "And then… you'll need someone to speak up for you. Someone in the _family_."

Onigumo slammed the brakes and pulled over by the side of the road.

"What were you supposed to do with me?" Kagura asked.

"Drive to Kyoto. Hide until all the money exchanged into the right hands. Then return you." Onigumo had trouble concentrating on his sentences.

"Well, we can have fun together," Kagura whispered.

He let out a victorious laugh. "You are one brave woman." She was Mukotsu's loss, really. Onigumo doubted the Higurashi girl would be as bold. "Naraku and Mukotsu will be kicking themselves trying to talk sweet nothings into that Kagome."

"Well, all you have to do is get in the right mood…" winked Kagura.

Onigumo snorted. "What mood? In that rotten hotel near Asuka…"

So they were being taken to Asuka. Kagura said nothing, but that Onigumo was a complete fool if he thought she wouldn't use that information… somehow.

* * *

"I have to take out the bullets," Mukotsu announced. "Can you get syringes and morphine from the car?"

"What the hell do you need morphine for?" inquired Naraku. "Just fish them out with tweezers."

"Mukotsu, please," Kagome pleaded quietly. "Naraku's a maniac. Don't listen to him."

"Eh," Mukotsu grumbled. "I think I left the tweezers in the car too."

"Fucking useless fool!" shouted Naraku. Kagome could hear his curses all the way to the car outside.

Mukotsu turned to Kagome slowly, his face contorted in a horrible smile. "You owe me."

She didn't care. She didn't care anymore. "You can cure him, right?" she asked desperately.

"I can keep him alive," Mukotsu confirmed. "You better hope they send Naraku his money quickly and you get out of here before we need to amputate."

"Whatever," Kagome said woodenly.

She hoped wildly that someone would save them, or that they would get out. Somehow.

Mukotsu stopped and gazed at her with his loathsome eyes. He smiled crudely, his ugly face contorted in a wide grin. "Will you be my bride?"

Kagome was saved from having to reply as Naraku stormed back inside and threw a first-aid kit at Mukotsu. "What, still alive?" he called sarcastically, unrolling a sleeping bag on the ground.

Ignoring him, Kagome emptied the contents of the box onto the ground. A few rolls of gauze and tape rolled out, along with some unlabelled pills and a band-aid.

A band-aid. Perfect. Sesshoumaru Taisho was going to die and all Kagome had was a lousy band-aid. Kagome felt like crying, but steeled herself against it.

"Oh, I forgot to replace my morphine," Mukotsu said, sounding completely confused.

"I'm going to sleep right in front of this door," Naraku interrupted, tucking his gun threateningly within arms reach. "If I hear a peep from you, dear Kagome, I will shoot your tongue out." His eyes had a strange glazed look, and for a moment Kagome wondered if he had decided to get high on Mukotsu's morphine stores instead.

Mukotsu stood up and looked like he was about to unbuckle his pants. "I need relieve myself."

"You're despicable," Kagome said.

"Do it outside, you bastard!" yelled Naraku from the other side of the room. Kagome wondered why they were working together when Naraku seemed to hate Mukotsu as much as she did. Grudgingly, Mukotsu slammed the door on his way out. Her eyes widened when she saw Naraku taking out a rock of cocaine from his pocket. Crushing it, Naraku soon started scraping the powder into lines.

So Naraku was going to snort cocaine and Mukotsu was outside doing god knows what. Picking up a roll of gauze, Kagome stripped Sesshoumaru's shirt from him and began rewrapping Mukotsu's previous bandage job.

She winched at the damange. The shoulder looked bad enough, and Sesshoumaru's elbow looked so mangled she prayed that it was only a flesh wound, and that Onigumo's bullets hadn't hit any arteries. Not that Kagome knew arteries from veins, or anything about fixing wounds for that matter. Shakily, Kagome tied a knot as best as she could and wrapped Sesshoumaru's clothes around him again.

There was no way she could physically carry him out of here, but if Sesshoumaru could walk she might be able to support him. Sensing that Naraku was out cold in Happyland, Kagome tried to think of all the ways they could use to escape.

She was torn between trying to revive Sesshoumaru and letting him stay unconscious. Awake he would probably have a better idea of what to do, but out cold he wouldn't be feeling any pain at least. Gently, Kagome brushed his fringe from his forehead.

This caused him to stir briefly and she froze, not daring to move.

"…Sesshoumaru?" she whispered.

* * *

When his name was called instinctively Sesshoumaru moved to sit up, but pain seared through his left arm in a blinding flash. Almost immediately Kagome pushed him back down.

"Please don't move," she said urgently. "How do you feel?"

"Never better," he said wryly, sorely tempted to just close his eyes and drift off to sleep for a long time.

Kagome touched his pale face with warm fingertips. "Can you walk? You've been out for hours, Naraku's been high since he drove us here and I want to get you to a doctor." A _real_ doctor, she added with a silent grimace, not the Mukotsu type.

"Do you know where we are?" he asked, glancing around the room. Kagome followed his line of vision and had the feeling he was merely seeing, but not registering.

"Um, Naraku pulled off the highway somewhere," she said.

"In other words, you are clueless."

Even bleeding to death he had the nerve to be cutting. Kagome could be patient though. "Naraku's only been so slack because he thinks we wouldn't escape in the middle of nowhere. If you can walk, I'm sure we can get out," Kagome told him.

"_I_ can walk. You, on the other hand…" He stared at her feet, and Kagome realized she was wearing the same pair of black high heels she had worn to Ryuukotsei's.

Well, if Sesshoumaru could be so damned observant about her shoes, he had to be feeling just fine and dandy. Kagome made up her mind. Kicking off her high heels, she held her hand out to him.

"Let's get out of here."

Even the effort of moving was killing him, but Sesshoumaru would have gladly died before admitting it to her. On her part Kagome tried not to divulge any of her own anxiety and instead feigned unconcern. (Male egos. Kagome was an expert in how not to bruise them.)

She had a hand on the door when Sesshoumaru stopped her.

"Why don't you take Naraku's car?"

She froze with a half-grin. Yeah, she had _totally_ thought of that idea. "Um, I wasn't sure you'd let me drive," Kagome said hastily, trying not to blush scarlet.

He didn't even have the energy to raise an eyebrow, though he would have. Kagome Higurashi – when did the girl ever think clearly? Typical.

Naraku had left his keys next to the few crumbs left from his cocaine binge, and Kagome quickly scooped them up. She moved to check Sesshoumaru's injured arm once more. Assuring herself that he was still fine, or as fine as one was under the circumstances, she caught sight of his expression, an agonized mixture of pain and amusement.

"Okay, fine, you're the smart one," Kagome sighed in concession. "Next you'll be telling me you have a cell phone, or something..." Naraku had confiscated hers long ago, and there had been no phone in his suit jacket.

Sesshoumaru coughed slightly. "Hip pocket, Kagome."

"No way," Giving him the dirtiest look she could muster, Kagome then went on to fish a slim, perfectly working phone out of his pocket. She felt like kicking herself. "Well, we have a car and we have a phone. Shall we get the hell out of here?"

* * *

And as luck would have it, Mukotsu chose that very moment to come back in, pushing the door open in his methodically slow, creepy way. He stared at the pair of them and shook his head.

"Naraku won't be happy if I let you go," Mukotsu said slowly. He advanced threateningly, mumbling a kind of mantra.

"Naraku won't be happy at all…"

**End Chap 18:  
**

**A/N: Thank you for reading guys... comments always appreciated.  
**

**Special cookies to:** LadyLuna-chan, Varietyfan505, itachiisaweasel, Ichigo Mirai, BiNeko, Azumigurl, lonelylark, ShadowXMoonlight, kagomesirene, sesshomaruluvr14, Vamp Winter, kechula2, brandypandyxxx, animelover4ever456, Esha Napoleon, mysexeyedwardcullen, , KurouKageTenshiFreedomfromrule, LovesDepp, cowgirlkitten2000, REDWOLF47, AnimeAngel41, kakashixangela, and as usual Crescent Dreams and Iris Ayame...** for your funny/loyal/awesome support! Thank to you the rest of you reviewers too... s2  
**


	19. Kissed by a Rose

**Chapter 19: Kissed by a Rose  
**

_In which freedom always has a price tag..._

All men were the same, Kagura knew. A few minutes of her batting her eyelashes was all it had taken, and Onigumo was tripping over himself to check them into some sleazy love hotel somewhere.

They pulled over the side of the highway to some garish lighted-up place, a Love Love Paradise franchise along the road to Kyoto somewhere. The building outside was peeling, and the room inside had the ambience of a prison cell. Onigumo did not seem to care.

"Honey, you said you're into bondage, right?" he said with a huge grin, shutting the door of their room with a loud click.

"Of course!" Kagura flashed him her brightest smile yet. She was more occupied with looking around for some means of escape, or at least a phone so she could call the police. "Why don't you go on and take a shower first?"

"Let's take a shower together," Onigumo said, beginning to pull off his shirt.

Gross, gross, gross. Kagura thought quickly. "Oh, wait!" Feigning disappointment, she looked at Onigumo beseechingly. "We forgot condoms!"

Onigumo cursed and swore. The last thing he needed now was to have pay child support for the next twenty years, it would surely negate any profit he would get from this kidnapping. "Wait for me, honey," he growled, dashing out the door to the condom vending machines outside.

Too easy, mused Kagura. Escape was going to be a lot more difficult.

The bathroom only had a tiny vent, and the one window in the bedroom itself was a sheer two-storey drop to the ground. Kagura didn't know how she was supposed to climb down, and in the same kimono she had worn to Ryuukotsei's earlier, no less.

Then the idea hit her.

Hurriedly, Kagura moved to pull off her obi sash, unwinding the long length of it from around her waist and flinging it out the window. It still missed the ground by a few feet, but Kagura would take her chances with that.

She tied one end of the obi to the window ledge and prayed it would hold her weight.

And Kagura began her climb to freedom.

* * *

"Hand over those keys, now," Mukotsu said softly.

The way Kagome saw it, there was only one thing barring her exit at the moment, and that was Mukotsu – after all, Naraku was still high on drugs.

"If you don't, I'll wake Naraku!" threatened Mukotsu.

"You can't wake Naraku," Kagome said, trying to keep the tremors from her voice. "He's high."

"I'm a doctor! I'll have you know, I can wake whomever I want!" Mukotsu sounded pissed, and took a step towards them angrily. "Now the keys, please!"

Kagome looked unhappily at Sesshoumaru, who nodded his head. Reluctantly, she began a slow walk towards Mukotsu, holding out their one means of escape.

It was like walking the plank, and the alligators were waiting. Except that this was a big, sleazy alligator by name of Mukotsu.

On second thought, all men were the same. From the beginning the only thing this man Mukotsu had been concerned with was the (albeit same) bulge in his pants.

Out of sheer desperation, Kagome dredged up a plan from the darkest corners of her mind.

The distance was closing between her and Mukotsu now…

It was now or never. Kagome took a deep breath.

Sesshoumaru watched, stunned, as Kagome suddenly grabbed Mukotsu by the shoulders and kissed him with a ferocity the scumbag certainly did not deserve.

Evidently Mukotsu had never been touched, much less kissed by a member of the opposite gender, because he fell back, mouth agape, unable to do more than stare wonderingly at Kagome.

She wasted no time. Clenching her fist around the keys she still held safely, Kagome grabbed Sesshoumaru and ran. Naraku's car was parked outside prominently, and she hurriedly jammed the keys into the ignition.

What could she say, except to thank the heavens that Sesshoumaru had taught her to kiss? If it had been any another person, say Inuyasha, Kagome was certain they would still be stuck inside with Mukotsu with no way to leave. The only pity was that she'd had to waste Sesshoumaru's sophisticated technique on the horrible toady Mukotsu.

Actually, Kagome thought as she eyed the steering wheel with trepidation. The real pity was that Sesshoumaru hadn't taught her how to drive.

They sped down then Takajo Highway. Kagome had no idea where she was going, but she didn't mention this to Sesshoumaru, who probably had larger issues to deal with at the moment, judging from way his lips set in a thin line. She followed the road in the hope it would end in a major city, which would at least mean a hospital.

In the meanwhile she tried to get Sesshoumaru to talk; she didn't want him falling unconscious.

"Do you think they'll arrest Naraku and Onigumo?"

"…Maybe."

She put on a cheerful, optimistic voice. "Well, I certainly hope so! What about Ryuukotsei?"

"Maybe."

Well, they were related after all. She wouldn't blame Sesshoumaru for wanting the stigma of a grandfather in jail. "Should I exit here?" Kagome asked, squinting at the signboards. She thought she'd saw a sign that said Kyoto, Exit Left.

"Maybe…"

Confused, Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru. He looked delirious. Kagome panicked, and reached over to tap him gently.

Of course, it never occurred to her to not take her hands off the steering wheel when speeding on a highway.

It also never occurred to her to keep her eyes on the road, because she did not notice the tall construction truck, headed straight from them.

**End Chapter 19**

**(Arghh some of you kindly pointed out when I published Chapter 20 it also published itself in Chapter 19... and I realized I had no backup copy of Chap 19! Anyway I've dashed off a quick short-chap/summary above so no one misses any of the plot, but I'll have to go back and rewrite the hilarious interactions when I can spare the time d; Sorry guys! XP)  
**


	20. Tenterhooks

**_Previously, on _****_Kyoto_****_ Summer…_**

She didn't see the truck coming, or hear the sirens screech into the night.

* * *

**Chapter 20: Tenterhooks  
**

**_You've all held your breath...._  
**

Footsteps raced. Machines beeped. From a distance, someone barked mad orders.

The scent of disinfectant hit Kagome, bringing her to her senses. Rubbing her eyes, she looked around, her head throbbing madly. In an instant, a doctor was upon her.

"Miss Higurashi," he said. "I'm Dr. Sada."

Kagome looked around her. She had to be in the middle of a hospital emergency room somewhere. Around her, doctors and nurses rushed around crazily. Someone was screaming in the distance. She was in a small ward by herself, cordoned off from the chaos, but still Kagome struggled to concentrate on the doctor talking to her.

"You've had a small concussion. Do you remember what happened?" Dr. Sada was asking.

"I… was driving," Kagome said slowly. "Going towards the exit… All of a sudden there was a truck right behind me. I… swerved to avoid it."

"Excellent," he said, sounding relieved. Dr. Sada began ticking off a large clipboard chart. "Temporary amnesia is common following concussions, but in your case all would appear to be well..."

_Sesshoumaru_. Urgently, Kagome turned to the doctor. "Please, I was driving with another person -"

"Yes, I heard," Dr. Sada said, nodding. "I think they've moved him to an operating theatre upstairs."

"But will he be alright?" Kagome asked anxiously. He had to be, he just had to be. She didn't even want to consider any other possible outcome.

"Miss Higurashi, you should rest for now," the doctor said kindly. "We'll be moving you to a proper ward now, and I'm sure your friend will be fine."

She nodded dully.

* * *

It was a convoy of epic proportions, a parade on a grand scale like one the hospital had never seen before. Shiny, black limousines pulled up one after another, each parking at the main entrance of the hospital in a long gleaming trail ensuring that all other insignificant cars were blocked from entering.

Perhaps it could be argued that it would have been more practical, more environmentally-friendly, for the occupants of the limousines to travel together. Except that Inutaisho was on no uncertain terms going to travel in the same vehicle as Ryuukotsei, and Ryuukotsei was not going to carpool with Inutaisho. Izayoi had arrived as soon as she heard the news, making a third car. She was followed by Inuyasha and Kikyou, both looking suspiciously dishevelled despite claims they were watching a movie.

Last and certainly not least, Kagura made her appearance complete with fresh makeup and perfect manicure, having booked an appointment with her salon first thing after breaking her nail climbing out the window.

Most of the orderlies and nurses stared. Other patients out and about walking also stared. The hospital director rushed in, having been called in two hours earlier than his usual start time by his flustered deputy, and offered the visitors his office as a waiting room.

The visitors were a funny mix of emotions. Inutaisho looked as black as thunder, and refused all offers of tea-coffee-whatever-you-want-sir. Izayoi looked worried, as did Kagura, and Inuyasha and Kikyou sat apprehensively on the edge of their seats.

Ryuukotsei sat away from the rest of the group, wrinkled lips pursed in an unreadable expression.

After awhile the police arrived to take statements. They reported that Naraku, Onigumo and Mukotsu had been arrested with two handguns confiscated, and although no trace of cocaine had been found, Naraku had been suitably glazed over for them to figure out what he had been taking.

"Should we…" the officer struggled to phrase his question in a way that wouldn't piss off anyone, because the chances were that phone calls would be made to his superior, and he would quickly find himself out of job. "Should we inform the press, sir?"

They had, after all, arrested a bunch of druggies.

Though of course, any newspaper writing about Naraku and Onigumo would make Ryuukotsei look bad, which would inevitably make the family look bad, which would be bad for business, which would turn their private affairs into a public circus. Inutaisho gritted his teeth.

"Let's keep this out of the news, shall we," he said to the officer, shooting dark looks at his father-in-law. Izayoi patted his arm soothingly.

"I can't believe you," Kagura said all of a sudden, glaring at her grandfather. "How could you?"

Ryuukotsei looked thoroughly offended. "Do you suggest I would have permitted either of you to come to harm?" he growled.

"Well, what exactly were you thinking?" Kagura asked bluntly. As far as she was concerned the old man had royally screwed up, and she, Kagura Tokugawa, was royally pissed off. She didn't think the old man would go so far as to tell Naraku to shoot them, no. But the idiot had probably told Naraku and Onigumo to kidnap them, without knowing what sort of evil bastards they were.

Ryuukotsei refused to answer her.

Izayoi tried to break the tension. "Kagura, maybe you should go and check on Kagome?"

"Yes, I'll do exactly that," Kagura said, leaping up. "Inuyasha, Kikyou, you coming?"

"Yeah, coming," Inuyasha said. "Might as well go stretch my legs." And get out of Ryuukotsei's sight, he added in his head. If he had to stew in the room with his dad and Ryuukotsei another minute, Inuyasha felt he might strangle himself.

They were about to leave when a doctor appeared. "Are you Sesshoumaru Taisho's family?"

"No, we're just people who coincidentally have silver hair -" Inuyasha started.

"Inuyasha!" rebuked his mother.

The doctor cleared his throat. "Well, about the patient…"

* * *

Two young, polite-looking police officers arrived in her room to try and take Kagome's statement about the whole affair. Kagome tried to recall every minute detail of their evening, right from the very beginning when Naraku had taken them hostage, to the moment of their escape. Although the two police officers in front of her were patiently hanging on to every word she said, it was clear they were having a hard time believing how she had managed to overcome Mukotsu.

"So, Miss Higurashi… you're saying to managed to subdue the man with a kiss?" repeated the younger of the two officers.

Not that they dared contradict her outright.

Kagome pretended to pause. "Yeah. Yup. Pretty sure that's what I did."

"So you're saying it was a kiss?" They were blushing furiously by now. "Could you please be more specific?"

"Okay, so, I kissed the creep on the lips. No tongue, of course. I didn't have to tiptoe because he was short. We kissed for about, five seconds?" Kagome rolled her eyes. Even she had not expected that Mukotsu would be so easily stunned, but that wasn't her problem.

"What can I say?" beamed Inuyasha from the doorway, clapping his hands slowly. "Gentlemen, officers, wouldn't you stop in your tracks if such a radiant beauty grabbed you and kissed you smack on the lips with those delicious plump kissable -"

"Inuyasha!" cried Kagome, cracking up. "Stop it, you idiot, you'll make my brain hurt."

She'd never felt so overjoyed to see Inuyasha, Kikyou and Kagura. It was like she was back in civilization again.

"Yeah, stop it, you idiot," Kikyou echoed, shooting Kagome a look of mutual exasperation over Inuyasha's antics. "And how are you feeling, Kagome?"

She shrugged. "Still a little woozy, but okay…"

"Really? I'm fetching the doctor," exclaimed Kagura, hurrying back outside to flag down one of the medical staff.

Really, the fuss they made. Kagome tried to smile at Inuyasha. "How is he?"

"He?" Inuyasha feigned ignorance. "As in, my Dad? Or Ryuukotsei?"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome put on a small laugh. "Seriously, tell me. What did the doctors say?"

"Ohh, you were referring to Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha grinned. "Well, I'm sorry to say, but he's not _dead_ yet."

"Please, you wouldn't inherit anything anyway," Kikyou said.

Ok, so he wasn't dead. Some comfort. "But is he okay?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha shoved his hands into his pockets. "Well, about that… One of the bullets shattered bone. So they had to, um, remove some of his arm."

* * *

Even Kagura heard the resulting screech pierce through from end of the hallway. Hastening her steps, by the time Kagura arrived it seemed Kagome had fainted, and a nervous Inuyasha paced back and forth looking like he had been soundly slapped by Kikyou.

"Oh my god," Kagura said immediately, and the doctor she'd brought rushed to take a pulse. "What happened? I thought Kagome was fine just a few moments ago."

"She was," Kikyou said, shooting Inuyasha a dirty look. "Until he told her that they cut off Sesshoumaru's arm."

"He what?" Incredulous, Kagura stared at Inuyasha, who had the grace to look guilty.

Just when she thought men couldn't get dumber, example being Ryuukotsei, Naraku and Onigumo, another member of their species had to go and prove her wrong.

"Hey, I thought it would lighten the mood! You know, a small joke." Inuyasha laughed nervously at the two murderous-looking women.

The doctor looked pointedly at Inuyasha. "It's not my place to say this, but in my experience I really don't it is a good idea to joke with a person who's just had a concussion and not thinking clearly."

"Yes, finally!" Kagura jumped on the guy's words. "A man who talks _sense_! And you are?"

"Sada. Menomaru Sada, I'm Miss Higurashi's doctor."

"Oh?" Come to think of it, this Menomaru person was pretty hot. Kagura could get his number later. In the meantime she focused on Kagome, who was quickly coming to.

"Sweetheart," Kagura said with calming smile, "Inuyasha was just playing with you, honey. No one lost any arms."

Kagome blinked. "Oh."

Inuyasha shifted his weight nervously. "Sorry."

"No," Kagome said, heart feeling a million times lighter. "That's fine." She'd take a bad joke over a missing arm any day.

"They think it'll take a few months to heal, that's all," Inuyasha said.

"All's well that ends well, anyway," Kagura said with authority. "You can't have a fiancé who doesn't have an arm."

Judging from the red colour of Inuyasha's cheeks Kagome realized that he had no doubt been chatting to Kagura about the subject. Of course, Kagome had no intention of going through the whole explanation as to why she and Sesshoumaru were, contrary to popular decision, _not_ engaged.

Rather, Inuyasha had been there the whole time and was in the know; he could do the honours.

At that moment her father burst through the doors crazily. Akihiro Higurashi rushed to his daughter's side immediately. "Kagome! Oh my god, are you okay?"

She tried to smile normally. "I'm okay, Dad, really -"

"Thank goodness," breathed her father, cutting her off. "I was so, so scared when they called us -"

"What happened to Naraku and Onigumo?" asked Kagome.

Her father sighed. He didn't want Kagome worrying about anything other than herself at the moment, but something in her voice told him that she would never rest until extracting all the information she could out of him. Not that Akihiro Higurashi knew much himself. "Well, as you can obviously see, Kagura here got away from Onigumo and called Inutaisho."

Akihiro continued. "We called the police, of course, and they organized a search team between Asuka, Osaka and Kyoto. Of course," he smiled wanly at her, "it wasn't too difficult finding you when Traffic Patrol booked a car for speeding six times on the Takajo Highway, the same car which went on to crash at the Kyoto exit."

He tried to keep his tone steady, but Akihiro could barely keep his terror at bay even though his daughter was relatively safe and unharmed, in a hospital bed in front of him. Losing his wife to a car accident had been the worse experience of his life. Losing Kagome now would be beyond imagination.

Kagome closed her eyes. "And?"

"Well, the paramedics sent you to the nearest hospital and contacted us. You were both unconscious. They did a blood transfusion in Emergency before taking Sesshoumaru to Trauma." Akihiro took his daughter's hand. "It's a miracle you two survived the crash, darling. Apparently you swerved in time to avoid the truck and hit the side railing of the road instead, and they'd just finished insulating the railing with shock absorbers last week, so the impact was not fatal." Although according to the clean-up team the vehicle had been totalled.

On Kagome's part she was pleased the car had been totalled. It was the least she could do considering what Naraku and Onigumo had done to them.

Akihiro Higurashi cleared his throat. "Kagome, I've booked tickets. We're going back to America as soon as you are well enough to leave."

"No!" Stunned, Kagome fought to think of a reason. "Why?"

Akihiro buried his hands in his head. How could he explain to Kagome the depth of a parent's fear with mad psychopaths like Ryuukotsei around who would order their own grandchildren kidnapped? According to Inutaisho, rumour had it that World War II snapped a few wires in Ryuukotsei's head, and the old man was so steeped in mistrust and hatred of mankind that nothing would convince him to love again.

Of course, Ryuukotsei was beside the point. Akihiro only thanked whichever government bureau that decided to upgrade the Takajo Highway road railing with shock absorbers. He made up his mind to donate money to that department, and to also stop evading his tax in Japan.

"I'm not going anywhere," Kagome said, her expression dead-set. "Not now."

She'd had enough of her decisions being made for her, thank you very much.

"Kagome!" Akihiro sounded upset. "That's really _my_ decision as your father -"

Kagome ignored him, rolling over onto her side. She was in no mood to listen to her father's petty worries when there were larger issues left unfinished

She told herself it wasn't her fault, but really Kagome couldn't help but feel stabs of guilt over the whole incident. After all, she'd been the one to take on Ryuukotsei in the first place. And it didn't help that she really did not know how to drive cars properly.

"Kagome?" her dad said timidly.

She really, really didn't feel like talking at the moment. Her head was killing and Kagome wanted to sleep. In case her father had forgotten, although safe Sesshoumaru was still in critical condition, and she still didn't know what was going to happen with Naraku and Onigumo.. Yet here he was suggesting she _go home_. Burying her head under her pillow she endeavoured to ignore her stupid father for a little longer, and allowed herself to drift off once more.

**End Chapter 20**

* * *

**AN: ****I didn't take Sesshoumaru's arm off because this is, after all, a comedy. Or maybe I'm just too cowardly.  
**

**Apologies for the late update. I was doing heavy editing of The Unattainable Geisha. I WILL post new chapters!**

**I keep forgetting to thank you guys! Someone nominated Kyoto Summer for the Dokuga awards, so thank you whoever it was!**

**And of course, the following supporters:**

REDWOLF47, Crescent Dreams, crazymickey, kechula2, LovesDepp, nicegresser, AnimeAngel41, Vamp Winter, IrisAyame (I spared his arm, so where are my secret French recipes! xD) S3rrenity4193, Ichigo Mirai, cowgirlkitten2000, JJLi14, animelover4ever456, Azumigurl, sesshy's 4 ever, kakashixangela, x0xDark-Angelx0x, brandypandyxxx, Tilde DiStella, Rhiannon's blackbird, lex1621, Dana Daidouji, narubby23, kutiekat53, zenachi, Emi. Esha Napoleon, tamiiland, Failuresnot2try, taylorklass2012, Miyabi doll, twilightrose07


	21. Death By Bear

**Chapter 21: Death by Bear **

_The protagonist's musings.  
_

Sesshoumaru woke up vision hazy and in a hospital bed. They had drugged him, judging from the painless drowsy feeling running through his system. His left arm was, thankfully, still attached to his body. All in all, he had to say he was feeling okay – a little on the faint-headed side, but okay.

The room was quiet, which gave him time to ruminate on the events of the past week. Him being in a hospital meant that their families must have been notified of the kidnapping, and if Sesshoumaru knew his father, Inutaisho would be summoning his lawyers right now to sue the daylights out of Ryuukotsei. As ridiculous as his grandfather had been Sesshoumaru didn't particularly see the benefit in suing the man.

Rather, he would prefer to bargain with Ryuukotsei. A generous advance on his inheritance was in order, perhaps. Plus, if there was one way to force Ryuukotsei into reconciliation with Kagome, it would be to threaten his reputation with the public.

And speaking of Kagome Higurashi, Sesshoumaru bit back a grin. Call him narcissistic, but he believed she was falling in love with him.

After all, he was drop dead gorgeous. He'd just devoted weeks of his time and sole attention to her. Any woman would be head over heels, why would she be any different? Given that at the beginning she'd been happy to scream and rail at him, without clothes on sometimes, the fact that lately Kagome Higurashi had become blushingly docile was somewhat a hint that his charms were working their usual magic.

Ironically, Kagome was growing a little on him. He could even see himself tolerating her, long-term. As far as Sesshoumaru knew, both their fathers were hell-bent on them getting married. Sesshoumaru could, possibly, consider it. At least her looks were above decent, and Kagome was smart, if a little too vocal at times. She was of course in no way ready to get married. So she'd learnt a few good manners in her time in Japan so far. An eighteen-year-old a good wife did not make.

Of course, he wouldn't make a very good husband either. Sesshoumaru still had a few more years of bachelor partying to live up tp.

These peaceful reflections ended the moment a nurse raised the alarm that He Was Awake. Sesshoumaru Taisho was soon to discover that while getting two bullets in the arm was painful, putting up with the pain was preferable to being a hospital invalid. The events unfolded like this:

Within moments of the nurse arriving three doctors had trooped in, accompanied by his family. Sesshoumaru picked out words like "antibiotics" and "Type A positive" and "morphine", and he assumed they were discussing what they were giving him. Obviously they thought his ears had been injured rather than his arm, considering the way they whispered about him, in front of him, as though he wasn't there.

Of course, with one arm out of commission he hadn't been able to make them shut up by throwing something at them either.

Questions were asked. Questions like, "When does he use it again?" This was Inutaisho, apparently concerned about Sesshoumaru's recovery. Sesshoumaru was inclined to think that his father was simply finding out how much he could sue his grandfather for.

One of the doctors said three to six months, depending on how fast the bone healed. None of them bothered to ask Sesshoumaru for his opinion. And that pissed him off.

Izayoi, also present, actually asked the doctor if she could cook Sesshoumaru anything restorative. Much as her concern was appreciated, Sesshoumaru didn't think Izayoi was any more of a cook than he was, and was glad when Jaken showed up to change the subject. Jaken simply shoved Izayoi aside to supplant the place closest to Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken wrung his hands frantically. "Is your honourable self alright?"

"Oh yes, my honourable self is very alright," Sesshoumaru said, while the other parties in the room turned to stare at him like they were amazed he had the strength to talk.

"Tell us everything that happened," Inutaisho ordered. "Actually, wait for my lawyers to arrive and we'll get your story all at once." Sesshoumaru should have seen that one coming. Ryuukotsei would also soon be forking out a tidy sum for compensation, probably to fund Inutaisho's imminent retirement.

Izayoi then filled him in on everything; how Kagura had bested a sleazy Onigumo and got away by climbing out a hotel window. As for Kagome, Sesshoumaru remembered getting into Naraku's car with her but that was about it. Everything after that was hazy, but according to Izayoi, Kagome had ended up smashing the car on the highway, resulting in paramedics being called to cart them off to the hospital.

How predictable of Higurashi. Even vaguely amusing, except that Sesshoumaru appreciated just how close he'd been to losing his life for good. He would have to reconsider giving Kagome those driving lessons. Or else he could arrange for Jaken to conduct said lessons, except past experience with Kagome indicated nothing got done with her unless he personally supervised.

"Sesshoumaru?" prompted his father. The lawyers had arrived; they wanted to hear his statement. Yes, he was supposed to give his version of events. Sesshoumaru wasn't sure if it was a good idea, adding fuel to fire. The few hours of soul-wracking pain were undoubtedly seared into his memory for good, but that was no reason to help his father declare public war on his grandfather. "I don't remember," he said evenly.

"Excuse me for interrupting…" A shy nurse stepped into the room. "Are you taking visitors?"

"Not until he _remembers_ something," Inutaisho said, glaring at his son. He wasn't so easily fobbed off.

The nurse left, only to return with a gigantic bouquet of hot pink chrysanthemums. "In that case, Miss Ayaka Noda sends you her regards and hopes you feel better soon."

Who the hell was Ayaka Noda, and what had Sesshoumaru ever done to deserve this blight upon his vision… The colours were blinding. Hot pinks and brilliant purples, done up in gilt ribbon.

"Ayaka Noda?" Izayoi said curiously. "A friend of yours?"

"You could say," Sesshoumaru said weakly. If _friend_ was a good word for one-night stand.

Of course, bouquets came from Ayaka Noda, followed by Emi Sato and Mayu Tanaka. After these three Sesshoumaru lost count. He assumed he'd accidentally slept with all of these girls before, and come to think of it in the last few weeks Kagome had kept him so occupied he actually hadn't found time to pick up anyone.

By evening word had somehow spread through town that Sesshoumaru Taisho was in X Hospital and Y Ward, and gifts and well-wishes flooded his room from admirers and acquaintances. The bouquets and fruit he had ignored successfully to the point where he could barely see the doctors and nurses through the ribbons and cellophane. Sesshoumaru did draw the line when he woke up in the middle of the night gasping for oxygen, being smothered by a giant fluffy teddy bear that had somehow fallen into his head.

Enough was enough. He would move out by morning.

* * *

"You are the legal guardian of Kagome Higurashi?" Menomaru Sada held out his patient's discharge papers to Akihiro Higurashi. "I'll get a signature here, thank you." They seldom released patients so early in the morning, but the fact was Dr. Sada himself had some business to attend to and preferred to finish his rounds early.

Akihiro scribbled off on the dotted line while his daughter stared stonily into space. "Come on, Kagome," he said, handing the forms back to the doctor. "The car's waiting."

"I'm not going on a plane anytime today," Kagome informed her father. "And that's final."

He cast her one more pleading glance. Akihiro didn't relish taking her back to America, but it was for her own safety. He shuddered to think of her, kidnapped and in the company of drug-addled lunatics. "Kagome, darling -"

"Don't darling me." Kagome stalked off into the hallway, bowing curtly to Dr. Sada. She was surprised to see Kagura outside, pacing nonchalantly.

"Oh, you've been discharged?" Kagura asked, giving her a peck on the cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"One hundred perfect, thank you." Kagome caught a whiff of perfume and inhaled closer. "Are you wearing Kenzo?" She vaguely recalled being doused herself by one of Sesshoumaru's hired hands in their numerous attempts at beautifying her.

"Yesssss." Kagura looked both pleased and secretive, and said nothing else.

"Visiting Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked, perfectly aware of her father skulking behind her.

"Mm, no… he's two floors below you if you want to say hi though," Kagura said. Smiling radiantly, she whispered in Kagome's ear. "I actually have a date."

"A date?" Curiosity piqued, Kagome tried to wrack her brains as to whom the mystery guy might be.

Kagura giggled. "Menomaru-san."

Kagome was about to ask who when she connected the dots. "_Oh_. Didn't know you were on first-name basis with my physician already," she teased.

"He's single, hot, and successful," shrugged Kagura."In other words, fair game."

This earned a laugh from Kagome. "What else haven't you told me?"

"Nothing, I swear," Kagura said, crossing her heart dramatically. "But I will inform you the moment I see potential long-term developments."

"Kagura," interrupted Akihiro Higurashi. "Could you be so kind as to convince Kagome that she should for her own safety come to the airport with me?"

Although Kagura rarely found it necessary to keep out of people's affairs, on this occasion she was happy to stay out of the debate. "I'll, er, leave the two of you to sort that out." Waving gaily at Menomaru, who had finished his shift, put on her most charming smile and hurried over to him.

Kagome headed downstairs, not before banishing her father to the waiting lounge. The nurses pointed her towards Sesshoumaru's room. Kagome hesitated outside the door before knocking.

There was no answer, so she opened the door carefully and peered inside.

An explosion of colours and scents hit her. She'd known Sesshoumaru was popular, but surely this was pushing it.

"What are you doing here?" A familiar voice assaulted her ears, and Kagome turned around to see Jaken glaring suspiciously at her.

"Where's Sesshoumaru?" Kagome rescued a poor teddy bear from a corner of the room. It would appear to have been unceremoniously kicked there, and Kagome could guess by whom.

"He's with Inutaisho-sama and Ryuukotsei, discussing important issues," Jaken said haughtily, picking up a large potted cactus wrapped in ribbons and hauling it towards the door. "_I_ am clearing the room. Why are _you_ here?" he asked pointedly.

"To get away from my father," Kagome said casually, plucking a juicy-looking peach from a platter and biting into it. A burst of delicate flavour played on her tongue, and she quickly grabbed another one before Jaken chucked it all into the large trash can he pulled ominously. "Here, I'll help you," sighed Kagome. Against her better judgement she began throwing out flowers by the dozen, cringing slightly at the destructive waste.

The servant stared at her like she was had sprouted two heads. "Why?"

"Well, I'm bored," Kagome said like the answer was obvious.

"Bored?" echoed Sesshoumaru from the door, watching her.

She blushed like she had been caught out, although she was doing nothing wrong. "Yes, Sesshoumaru, bored." She looked at him rebelliously, and noticed Ryuukotsei standing behind his grandson with his usual pleasant scowl.

The patriarch made a huffing noise akin to scorn.

There was an uncomfortable silence, before Kagome grudgingly bobbed her head in greeting.

To her surprise, Ryuukotsei nodded coldly.

"Um, how are you?" Kagome said, smiling tightly.

"Fine," muttered Ryuukotsei. "You?"

Kagome nearly goggled at him but caught herself in time. "I'm fine, thank you." She supposed this was as deep an offering of truce could come from the old man.

Ryuukotsei coughed gruffly. "I need to talk to some lawyers downstairs, we can talk later."

"Over cupcakes and sunshine, perhaps?" Kagome asked brightly.

Thankfully Ryuukotsei left quickly before Kagome could say anything else to piss him off. "Was it just me hearing things, or did your grandfather just _talk_ to me?" Kagome asked in amazement.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Perhaps he had some people investigate your family and was… impressed." Like most politicians Ryuukotsei was pragmatic, and he had told Sesshoumaru that under certain conditions he _might _see past Miss Higurashi's flaws. After all it never hurt to marry money. Above all, Sesshoumaru guaranteed both his and Kagome's silence on this debacle for good.

"Impressed, ha!" snorted Kagome. Before he knew it Kagome had procured a pen from somewhere and was trying to sign her name on his arm.

"What are you doing?" Sesshoumaru asked, cringing as she scribbled a flowery script on the pristine white cast. _Get Well Soon! xoxo Kagome_ was not something he wanted to carry around day in day out.

"You know, I was so worried," declared Kagome, capping the pen with a flourish. "I thought you would die."

If she thought that she could distract him from the disastrous autograph with a few cleverly-designed caring words… well, Sesshoumaru heaved a mental sigh. The deed was done anyway. He gestured for her to sit, and she obeyed, bouncing a little on his bed to test the springiness.

"So what did Ryuukotsei say?" Kagome asked curiously.

Sesshoumaru leaned casually against the wall. "I'll be entering politics for awhile." Actually, his conversation with his grandfather had been simple. Ryuukotsei wanted Sesshoumaru to keep quiet about Naraku and Onigumo, and to run for a place in the Lower House of the Japan Diet. In exchange Ryuukotsei would name Sesshoumaru as his sole heir.

"I see." Well, politics as a legitimate career. Kagome could see Sesshoumaru as a politician. "I hope you will be very successful."

"Of course," he said, looking insulted at the idea that he could be anything but.

"Tell me," Kagome said, "is Ryuukotsei going to get arrested like Naraku and Onigumo and Mukotsu? He really isn't as creepy as those three. I mean, especially Mukotsu, that guy gives me goosebumps."

"That's right, that Mukotsu," Sesshoumaru said, like he'd just recalled something. "My memory is somewhat hazy, but I seem to remember you kissing your way out of that situation…"

He took strange delight in watching her blush tomato-red. Kagome squirmed under his gaze. "Well, it's something I've learnt how to do since coming to Japan…"

"Excuse me?" A eyebrow lifted. "Your execution was lacking."

"_Excuse me_?" If not for her sacrifice they'd be dead in some crummy hotel, and not only was Kagome not hearing praise and thanks from Sesshoumaru, she was getting critiqued on her technique? Which, by the way, he was responsible for teaching to her?

"For the likes of Mukotsu, I suppose you could get away with it," Sesshoumaru conceded with a lofty shrug. "But you'll need to work on your angle."

Kagome snorted. "My angle! Here's something funny, Mr. Taller-than-six-feet, when you are short and cute like me, _angle_ isn't something we can control!"

He refused to debate the point. Some things just needed to be acted out to be believed.

"Anyway," Kagome said, clearing her throat. "My Dad wants me back in America because of your lunatic grandfather."

"Will you go?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Will you miss me if I do?" she asked lightly.

He saw through the casual ruse and shrugged nonchalantly, deciding to play with her a bit. "Not really," Sesshoumaru said. "After all, I'll be busy with my new career, and you'll probably have to get yourself a college degree."

"Is that so?" Kagome said, feeling a stab of annoyance overtake her disappointment. "I might not come back ever again, then."

"Kagome, if I have to marry you, you'll have to come back to Japan sometime," Sesshoumaru pointed out in the most logical fashion.

"I don't want to marry someone who thinks my kissing is not up to par," Kagome informed Sesshoumaru.

He could think of many, many things regarding Kagome Higurashi that were not up to par. But somehow Sesshoumaru preferred her that way.

**End Chap**

**Dear readers, thanks for your patience again, and thank you all for the wonderful support you've shown my stories! Crescent, dana, IrisAyame off the top of my head, there are so many more of you constant reviewers... you know who you are, and I love you all. :D And Happy Valentines Day.  
**

**- ink142  
**


	22. A Game of Numbers

**The author would like to express their deepest sympathies for the people of Japan in the aftermath of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. **

* * *

**Chapter 22: A Game of Numbers**

_May the hottest one win._

Kagome frowned in concentration as she sipped from the tea bowl she held in her hands. "This must be… tea from Shizuoka."

"Very good," praised her teacher. "And the maker?"

"Yamanaki." Smiling triumphantly, Kagome set the bowl back onto the tatami floor.

"Actually, this tea is produced by Nogata," Inutaisho corrected patiently.

She gulped, took another hasty sip, and burned her tongue doing so.

It had been a week since they'd been released from the hospital, and having sent her overly-anxious father home to America, Kagome had looked forward to making the most out of her stay in Japan. Ryuukotsei had, true to his word, signed over an obscene amount of money to the Sesshoumaru and Inutaisho each, and although Kagome hadn't asked, Kagura had been more than happy to give mysterious hints as to how many zeros this left her grandfather out of pocket. Of course this had meant that Sesshoumaru would be obliged to join Ryuukotsei in his political ambitions, which happily for Kagome would mean _freedom_ to do whatever she pleased.

Instead, Inutaisho had unfortunately decided to personally conduct tea lessons with her in the absence of his son. After straight seven days of drinking nothing but top-grade tea and making observations about colour and water temperature with Inutaisho, who was not nearly as easy on the eyes as Sesshoumaru anyway, Kagome was nearly at the end of her tether.

At least with Sesshoumaru, she could verbally and even physically protest when she wanted to slack off. With Inutaisho, however, Kagome felt compelled to hold in her F-words and S-words; instead it was all smiles and bows and Yes, Sir, of course, Sir, I really enjoy this historical nonsense. All the caffeine drinking wasn't helping her sleep pattern either, and Kagome found herself tossing around in bed night after night despite being exhausted to the bone.

Considering that a few weeks ago she hadn't known the difference between Chinese and Japanese tea, Kagome doubted that in all her life she would ever need to know the difference between Nogata and Yamanaki. Thankfully, a knock on the door revealed Izayoi and Jaken, who had come to remind Inutaisho that he was late for a cocktail engagement.

"How are the lessons coming?" Izayoi asked kindly.

"Couldn't be better," Kagome said, coaxing on her most radiant and studious smile.

"Ahh, good luck then," said Izayoi with a wink. "I don't think the Taisho family has ever accepted a daughter-in-law who couldn't perform a tea ceremony properly."

"…Is that so?" asked Kagome cheerfully. It was really amazing how every single person seemed to know about her absolutely non-existent engagement. The fact she hadn't said yes to anything, and that she didn't have a big rock on her finger, should have been enough clues for them to leave her alone. She was about to clarify with Izayoi when Inutaisho interrupted.

"What is this cocktail engagement, and was I expected?" he frowned.

"You must go, darling, it's the launch of the newly renovated Louis Vuitton boutique… in _your_ hotel," Izayoi said, roling her eyes. "Remember? You told Sesshoumaru to RSVP on your behalf but he's out working now."

"Oh yes, Sesshoumaru's new _career _– just so we're clear, I'm not ever voting for my son."Inutaisho smiled conspiratiorally at Kagome. _"_Let's take a break for the day, shall we? You've worked hard, and it's eight-thirty anyway."

"In the evening?" Kagome nearly wept. No wonder she'd been having hunger pangs for the last three hours, she hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. Inutaisho was a hard taskmaster. Suddenly she could see why his sons had cracked, one becoming an arrogant twit and the other just plain unmotivated.

"Jaken – you'll feed Kagome, won't you?" Izayoi said, trying to coax her husband into the suit jacket she'd brought along.

"Come along, Higurashi," Jaken said with a grumpy scowl. "I will procure some food for you."

He whisked her back to her room, whereupon the extent of Jaken's procurement included him barking a phone call to room service. Having tried everything on the menu at least twice by now Kagome had to say she wasn't a fan of beluga caviar and lobster risotto, but she politely swallowed everything with Jaken watching her every move intently.

Much as Kagome hated to admit, she missed Sesshoumaru's strawberries and champagne. "Jaken," she said, setting aside her fork casually, "where's Sesshoumaru?"

"Working," sniffed Jaken, as though she'd asked him something personal, like the flavour of bath soap he used.

"I know, but so late?" Kagome asked, peering at the clock on the wall. For the first time she realized even the hotel clocks were made by Rolex. Jewel-encrusted hands read half-past nine.

"Sesshoumaru-sama does not abide by any curfew," Jaken declared indignantly. "Least of all yours."

Kagome ignored the jibe. "Do you know where he is, at least?"

A small smirk appeared on his face. "Oh, yes," Jaken said, "You know in Japan, politicians are so busy all the time, they are probably at a hostess club, or a geisha party, or some strip club maybe…"

Toying with her fork, Kagome resisted the urge to stab him with it. "Just because you would never get anywhere unless if you paid for it, you don't have to sound so jealous," she told him crossly.

"I am _not_ jealous of Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken sounded furious. "I'll have you know I have had plenty of girlfriends -"

"'Had' being the operative word, of course -"

"And just because _you_ have never had sex in your life –"

Kagome blinked. "Excuse me?" Since when did this idiot think he had the right to talk to her about her personal life, especially when Jaken himself obviously had serious self-esteem issues?

"Please. You're obviously young. And given your lack of social graces I would be surprised if any man has ever been interested in courting you!"

"That's it," Kagome snapped. "I'll make a bet with you. That is, we'll both go to a hot little club, and whoever who picks up the most number of people, wins."

"Fine!" Jaken said. This insufferable little girl was insulting his ability to get women. And even though he had been born a little on the short and ugly side, Jaken would show her how it was done. "I'll call a cab!"

Kagome watched him dial with narrowed eyes. This little twerp was completely in over his head here. Kagome Higurashi was pulling out all her charms tonight; Jaken was way in over his head.

The cab dropped them outside a crowded door with a long line of elegantly-dressed and beautiful people. Disconcertingly the doormen seemed to recognize Jaken, and they entered immediately into a glitzy club room filled entirely with mirrors and glass fixtures.

"You're on your own," Jaken said, heading straight for the bar where Kagome saw him pull himself onto a bar stool and order a drink.

Of course, if either one of them had been a little less hot-headed at the moment, it would have occurred to them that this little game was probably something Sesshoumaru would disapprove of. "Good luck, you'll need it," Kagome muttered, noticing a group of young men watching her with interest. Putting on her best smile, she winked before settling herself on a lounge seat.

This was going to be the easiest bet she'd ever won.

* * *

Club Miroir, it was called, and although he'd heard of it this was the first time Sesshoumaru had actually gone in. Safely ensconced from the crowds in the VIP section with the club owner, a beautiful older woman named Tsubaki, Sesshoumaru let her regale him with her reasons for why the alcohol tax should be removed and why she should be allowed to have a gaming license in her chain of nightclubs. His grandfather Ryuukotsei called it garnering support for the next campaign. Sesshoumaru would have called it borderline corruption.

"Isn't this a lovely concept?" Tsubaki gushed, opening another bottle of vintage Dom Perignon. She was referring to the two-way mirrors which covered the walls of the outer club section – while the customers outside remained unaware, the people in the VIP rooms had a clear view of what went on main areas.

"Absolutely ingenious," Sesshoumaru acquiesced obligingly. This was his last stop for the evening, and the sooner he secured Tsubaki and all her employees as loyal voters the sooner he could go home.

Unfortunately, she seemed delighted to have him to herself. "So, Sesshoumaru, I hear you hurt your arm in a skiing accident."

A skiing accident, really. Whoever handled his PR needed to get fired; it was the middle of summer after all. "Actually it's just a small scratch, nothing important," Sesshoumaru said smoothly. "I… won a game of cards and the other party was a sore loser."

"Oh, are you a betting man?" Tsubaki said with feigned surprise. "But of course you are, I forget that your father is Inutaisho. Well, actually, what a coincidence, but I was hoping to start holding blackjack nights across all my clubs, and -"

Nodding along to Tsubaki's sales pitch, Sesshoumaru found himself following the club scene across the mirrors instead. He arched a brow as he noticed a very familiar figure talking to two young women at the bar. Sesshoumaru had never known Jaken to frequent clubs, but whatever Jaken was up to, Sesshoumaru doubted he knew those two were famously expensive prostitutes.

Even more interestingly, a small crowd of eager young gentlemen had gathered around someone who looked uncannily like Kagome Higurashi. Judging from all the empty drink glasses in front of her, she was one of the more popular attendees that evening, as the men clamoured to buy her drinks.

There was simply something too coincidental about Jaken and Kagome both showing up at the same place, and both showing an unusual interest in flirting. Seeing Kagome tapping the phone numbers of two guys into her phone, though, gave Sesshoumaru a sudden inkling of what the two were up to.

"Tsubaki," Sesshoumaru said, "Those two girls over there by the bar, they work for you, don't they?"

"Shall I call them?" Tsubaki asked immediately.

"No, no, please don't. But I would like to hire them, if only for them to talk to that poor bastard for the rest of the night," smirked Sesshoumaru. After all, Jaken was a fairly dedicated employee, and Sesshoumaru had always been a generous man.

"Leave it to me," smiled Tsubaki confidently, rising. "Excuse me for one moment."

"No, excuse me," Sesshoumaru said, rising also. "It was a pleasure to meet with such a charming lady such as yourself, and I will be sure to recommend your cause in our next political meeting."

He was done with Tsubaki; Sesshoumaru was ready for some amusement. Jaken probably would never know what hit him. And as for Kagome Higurashi, Sesshoumaru loved a good mind game, and of late he was really enjoying screwing with her head.

Making his way into the main room, he meandered over to Kagome, picking up a potent-looking blue cocktail along the way. He had to manoeuvre quite a few men out of the way to get to where he wanted to be – that was, right next to the highly popular Miss Higurashi.

"For the most beautiful girl I have ever seen," he said, handing her the glass with a perfectly innocuous glance. "Allow me to buy you a drink."

Kagome nearly choked her drink in shock. "What are _you_ doing here?" she whispered as she patted her mouth quickly with a napkin, promptly knocking over a bottle of champagne while she was at it.

"Well, Kyoto is not a very big place, you're bound to run into someone sometime," Sesshoumaru said, calmly handing her another napkin. "So what's the squabble between you and Jaken?"

"I," Kagome said, waving bye to one of her conquests, "am going to beat Jaken in the number of phone numbers I collect by the end of the evening."

"My dear, that's hardly a fair competition," Sesshoumaru pointed out.

"Hey, he asked for it," shrugged Kagome. "Now if you're not going to give me your number, you might want to sit somewhere else. You're driving away my suitors."

"_Pardon_, madame. You can have my work cell number." Sesshoumaru handed her a new shiny business card. "Oh, and Jaken didn't mention? He's going to be a bit busy for awhile, so he's asked me to help him win this little game you two have going on."

And the expression of her face was priceless.

"That's cheating!" Kagome exclaimed, indignant. "This is unfair!"

"Let's see, you have had a one hour head-start, and I have one broken arm," Sesshoumaru said reasonably. "Who's got the advantage, I'd like to know."

Kagome shook her head. "I'm not playing with you."

He simply smirked, and left her with her group of boys. He needed to find some girls, and sure enough a few of them were already eyeing him up from across the room.

The game was on.

* * *

**End Chap**

**Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers:**

MIZUKI, AndyBeatz, Mistress-Tsukiko, Madyson Istre, 123, Nyx, YuukiHimeSama, Tiajei, CIREA, grimmich, Heiress of the House of Moon, MyNameIsErika, Fluffydruid, Racey, March Rosenqueen, LovesDepp, kat1023, mysexeyedwardcullen, , Peyton Cummins, Vamp Winter, HibarixZhen, IrisAyame, SayuKoishimoto, tamiiland, Esha Napoleon, kakashixangela, Cressent Moon, Azumigurl...

and all the rest of you who support this fic with your encouragement and advice!


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